London Bridge – Lake Havasu City, Arizona

The London Bridge was purchased from the British government in 1962 for $2,460,000.  The bridge was dismantled and each stone numbered and shipped to Lake Havasu City.  Reconstruction began on September 23, 1968 and the bridge was dedicated in 1971.

The first "London Bridge" was built by the Romans in 43 A.D.  Of course that isn’t the bridge that is in Lake Havasu City, it was a teporary pontoon bridge which was planks laid across a row of anchored boats which also could have been used as ferry boats.  The next bridge was reportedly talked about in 984 when a woman who was thought to be a witch, was drowned at the London Bridge. 

The first stone bridge was built in 1176 and completed in 1209.  It took 33 years to build but lasted more than 600 years.  The road that crossed it was 20 feet wide and 300 yards long, supported by 20 arches which curved to a Gothic-style point.  Included in the construciton of the bridge was a wooden drawbridge to let ships in and keep invaders out.

The history of the bridge is quite colorful, from the first bridge to the last.  In 1962 the bridge was found to be in disrepair and sinking into the Thames due to the increased traffic.  That’s when the City of London decided to put the 130 (last built) bridge up for auciton and build a new one in its place.

London Bridge used to cross the Thames River but now crosses a narrow boating channel that connects with the Thompson Bay on the Arizona side of Lake Havasu.

To reach the bridge from I-40 it is recommended that you go south on Arizona Hwy 95, then turn left (east) on Mesquite Ave.  Turn right (south) on Lake Havasu Ave. N. and then right again on McCulloch Blvd. N to drive over the bridge.

There is a visitor center with pictures and other information about the bridge and other attractions and points of interest within about a 100 mile radius of Lake Havasu City.

Related posts:

1. Lake Mead National Recreation Area – Lake Mead, Arizona
2. Rattlesnake Bridge and other neat stuff – Tucson, Arizona
3. Lake Powell – Page, Arizona
4. Tonto National Monument – Roosevelt Lake, Arizona
5. Bullhead City Arizona