London Bridge (Lake Havasu City) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids London Bridge
London Bridge in Lake Havasu City
Coordinates	34°28′18″N 114°20′50″W / 34.4716789°N 114.3471778°W / 34.4716789; -114.3471778
Carries	McCulloch Boulevard North
Crosses	Bridgewater Channel Canal
Locale	Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States
Characteristics
Design	Arch bridge
Material	Clynelish (Brora) sandstone and various granite mixes
Total length	930 feet (280 m; 167 sm)
Longest span	45.6 metres (150 ft)
Number of spans	5
History
Designer	John Rennie
Construction begin	1825
Construction end	1831
Opened	August 1, 1831 (London) October 10, 1971 (Lake Havasu)
Rebuilt	1967–1971

The London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States, has a super cool and unusual story! This bridge wasn't always in Arizona. It was first built in the 1830s and stood over the River Thames in London, England, for many years.

In 1968, a man named Robert P. McCulloch bought the bridge from the City of London. He had the outside granite blocks from the old bridge carefully taken apart and shipped all the way to the United States. These original stones were then used to build a brand-new bridge in Lake Havasu City. This city was a planned community that McCulloch started in 1964 next to Lake Havasu.

The bridge in Arizona is actually a reinforced concrete structure. But it's covered with the original stone blocks from the 1830s London Bridge. The new bridge was finished in 1971. It connects the main part of Lake Havasu City with an area called Pittsburgh Point. The bridge was officially opened again on October 10, 1971, in its new home.

The Bridge's Amazing Journey
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The Bridge's Amazing Journey

The London Bridge that now stands in Arizona was the last big project of a famous engineer named John Rennie. His son, John Rennie, finished building it in 1831. By 1962, the bridge in London was getting old and couldn't handle all the cars and trucks. So, the City of London decided to sell it in April 1968 to make way for a new, stronger bridge.

Why the Bridge Moved to Arizona

After the London Bridge in Arizona was completed in 1971, a new navigable canal turned the Pittsburgh Point peninsula into an island as seen in this 1972 photo.

The person who bought the bridge was Robert P. McCulloch. He was a businessman and real estate developer who created Lake Havasu City. He wanted to bring the bridge to Arizona to attract tourists and people looking to buy retirement homes in his new city.

The area where Lake Havasu City is now started as a rest camp for soldiers during World War II. In 1958, McCulloch bought a lot of land there. But it was hard to get people to buy property because the area was far away and very hot.

McCulloch's real estate agent, Robert Plumer, heard that the London Bridge was for sale. He convinced McCulloch that buying the bridge and moving it would bring lots of attention to Lake Havasu City. At first, McCulloch thought it was a crazy idea! But he thought about it and decided to go for it. He bought the bridge for about £1.02 million, which was around $2.46 million back then.

There's a popular story that McCulloch thought he was buying London's more famous Tower Bridge. But both McCulloch and the person who arranged the sale said this was not true. They knew exactly which bridge they were buying!

How the Bridge Traveled Across the World

To move the bridge, its outer stones were carefully taken off. Each stone was numbered and its exact spot was recorded. After the bridge was taken apart, the stones were sent to a quarry in Merrivale, Devon, England. There, about 15 to 20 centimeters were sliced off many of the original stones.

Robert Plumer found a clever way to ship the bridge. He arranged with a shipping company that had a brand-new ship sailing from the U.K. to the U.S. without any cargo. Plumer paid for all the ship's operating costs, and in return, the ship carried the bridge stones. This was much cheaper than regular shipping!

The ship carried the bridge pieces through the Panama Canal and unloaded them in Port of Long Beach, California. From there, the bridge was moved by land to Lake Havasu City. The rebuilding started in 1968.

Rebuilding the Bridge in Arizona

London Bridge in Arizona, 1973

On September 23, 1968, the first stone of the rebuilt bridge was placed in Arizona by Sir Gilbert Inglefield, who was the Lord Mayor of London at the time.

A new concrete structure was built inside, and then the original stone blocks were carefully placed on the outside. The rebuilding took a little over three years and was finished in late 1971.

The bridge wasn't rebuilt over an existing river. Instead, it was placed on land between the main part of the city and Pittsburgh Point. Pittsburgh Point used to be a peninsula, which is land almost surrounded by water. After the bridge was finished, a company dug the Bridgewater Channel Canal right under the bridge. This canal separated Pittsburgh Point from the city, turning it into an island! Now, the bridge crosses this canal, which is a shortcut for boats between different parts of Lake Havasu.

The Bridge as a Tourist Spot

After the bridge was rebuilt, many people came to see it. This helped McCulloch sell more land in Lake Havasu City. He made back all the money he spent on buying and shipping the bridge, and even more!

Over the years, the area around the bridge has been developed to attract even more tourists. There was an "English Village" with shops and a maze, designed to look like an old English town. While some parts of it have changed, efforts are being made to make the area even better for visitors.

In 2014, a newspaper published a false story saying the bridge was being torn down. But this was quickly proven wrong, and the newspaper printed a correction. The London Bridge in Lake Havasu City is still a popular and unique landmark!