London Bridge was the first bridge across the Thames, and the first London Bridge dated back to the Roman occupation, in the first 400 years AD. The bridge was rebuilt many times, but the most famous one was there during the Great Fire of London in 1666. It had huge piers which slowed down the flow of water and allowed the Thames to freeze in a couple of very cold 18th century winters. It also had buildings all the way across it.
When it was rebuilt, the main concern was to allow larger boats to pass underneath, and to ease the flow of the river, which was driving boats into the piers. Boat owners and their passengers were perishing in the many accidents the swirling waters caused.
The last time the bridge was rebuilt, about 40 years ago, the authorities in Arizona bought the old bridge to span one of their rivers.
They THOUGHT they were getting this - Tower Bridge.
What they ACTUALLY got was this:
Doh!
Doh!
That's because most Americans picture the Tower Bridge when they hear "London Bridge", b/c it's the only bridge across the Thames that they recognize. I wish I could have seen the look on their faces when they got the actual London Bridge.
ReplyDeletePS That illustration of the bridge at the top....is that a true artistic depiction? B/c I like the way it looked!
ReplyDeleteHa! Good point!
ReplyDeleteJojo, I also dig the architecture of the first one. People don't make gorgeous things anymore, do they?
Sorry, JoJo, the old bridge in the top picture was replaced in the first third of the 19th century, so I have no idea how accurate it may or may not be. (Even I'm not quite that old!)
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