Gribblenation

Welcome to home page for Gribblenation's series on the bridges, crossings, and structures of the lower Mississippi River! Here you will find links to information about the many bridges, ferries, and flood control structures located along the river between the Mississippi & Ohio Rivers confluence near Cairo, IL and the mouth of the Mississippi River at the Head of Passes Light near Venice, LA. The bridges of the lower Mississippi River are a diverse collection of impressive engineering achievements. Many of these bridges were modern marvels at the time of their construction and most of them are still among the largest bridges of their respective types in the United States. In addition to the numerous monumental bridges in this region, there are multiple large-scale flood control structures and spillways that supplement the river's extensive levee system. These structures are strategically placed and help regulate the flow rate and level of the river during periods of high wa...

Welcome to the gateway page for Gribblenation’s series on the bridges of the lower Mississippi River in Memphis, TN! Here you will find links to information about the four bridges that span the river at Memphis. The bridges of Memphis were constructed during the period between the height of the railroad era in the 1890s and the height of the modern interstate highway era of the 1970s. Each has a unique story to tell and all play a vital part in the transportation system of the northern Mississippi Delta. From left to right, the Harahan Bridge (1916), Frisco Bridge (1892), and Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (1949) combine to create one of the most impressive bridge-related visuals on the Mississippi River. Frisco Bridge The Frisco Railroad Bridge was built in 1892 and was the first bridge built across the lower Mississippi River. It is therefore the oldest standing bridge on the lower river. Frisco Bridge (1892) Harahan Bridge/"Big River Crossing" The Harahan Bridge was built i...

The newest of the bridges that span the lower Mississippi River at Memphis, the Hernando de Soto Bridge was completed in 1973 and carries Interstate 40 between downtown Memphis and West Memphis, AR. The bridge’s signature M-shaped superstructure makes it an instantly recognizable landmark in the city and one of the most visually unique bridges on the Mississippi River. As early as 1953, Memphis city planners recommended the construction of a second highway bridge across the Mississippi River to connect the city with West Memphis, AR. The Memphis & Arkansas Bridge had been completed only four years earlier a couple miles downriver from downtown, however it was expected that long-term growth in the metro area would warrant the construction of an additional bridge, the fourth crossing of the Mississippi River to be built at Memphis, in the not-too-distant future. Unlike the previous three Mississippi River bridges to be built the city, the location chosen for this bridge was about two...