Virginia Street Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Virginia Street Bridge
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The Virginia Street Bridge
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 Location in Nevada
Location in the United States
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| Location | Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
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| Area | 0.5 |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | John B. Leonard |
| Demolished | June 8, 2015 |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002471 |
| Added to NRHP | December 10, 1980 |
The Virginia Street Bridge was a famous concrete bridge in downtown Reno, Nevada. It carried Virginia Street over the Truckee River. This bridge was special because it had two large arches. In 1980, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which lists important historical sites.
People sometimes called the bridge the "Wedding Ring Bridge" or the "Bridge of Sighs." It was a well-known symbol of Reno. However, because of worries about its structure and how it handled floods, the bridge was replaced in 2016.
In 2002 and 2006, a group called Preserve Nevada listed the bridge as one of the "Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places in Nevada." This group works to protect important historical sites.
History of the Bridge
The Virginia Street Bridge that stood until 2015 was actually the fifth bridge built in downtown Reno. It was built in 1905.
The very first bridge was made of wood in 1860 by Charles W. Fuller. It was known as Fuller's Crossing. A big flood later destroyed it.
After that, a second bridge was built. This one was a toll bridge, meaning you had to pay to cross it. Myron Lake bought it in 1861. But in 1867, another flood washed it away.
Even though a new bridge replaced it, it soon became less important. This was because the Transcontinental Railroad arrived, changing how people traveled.
In 1877, Washoe County decided to build a new bridge. This one was a tied-arch bridge made of iron.
Finally, in 1905, the iron bridge was moved. The bridge that became famous was then built. It was designed by San Francisco architect John B. Leonard. The company Cotton Brothers and Company from Oakland, California, built it.
The Wedding Ring Legend
The Virginia Street Bridge has a famous story connected to it. Legend says that women who had just gotten a divorce would go to the bridge. After leaving the Washoe County Courthouse, they would stand on the bridge. Then, they would throw their wedding rings into the Truckee River below.
Because of this story, the bridge became a main symbol of Reno. For many years, Reno was known as the "Divorce Capital of the World," starting in 1906.
According to archivist Guy Rocha, salvage divers have actually found real rings in the river over the years.
In the 1961 movie The Misfits, the character played by Marilyn Monroe thinks about throwing her wedding ring from the bridge. However, she decides not to.
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. NV-14, "Virginia Street Bridge, Spanning Truckee River at Virginia Street, Reno, Washoe County, NV", 16 photos, 9 data pages, 1 photo caption page
See also
In Spanish: Puente de la Calle Virginia para niños
