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10 must-see historic bridges in Florida

Historic Bridge Awareness Month

Bridge of Lions, St. Augustine (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

When it comes to bridges in Florida, there is plenty to see and explore. From historic to short, tall to long, there are a variety of monumental and breathtaking bridges to drive across.

According to the National Day Calendar, November is Historic Bridge Awareness Month.

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Bridges are a large intricate part of the Sunshine State helping connect towns and cities such as the seven-mile bridge, which goes from Islamorada to the Keys.

“Throughout November, Historic Bridge Awareness Month explores the spans and arches that carry goods and people across the country. Whether the trusses are only a memory or stand proudly still against the horizon, Historic Bridge Awareness Month recognizes their place in the building of a nation.”

“They played an iconic role in building the United States. From carrying supplies West to the impressive towering trusses carrying locomotives across wide gorges, bridges took dreamers to unimaginable destinations. Through miracles of engineering, humans built solid pillars of stone and arching steel structures. But they didn’t stop there. Thanks to the development of steel cable, bridges seem to float across open spans of water, carrying the weight of small cities. And yet, we still explore the colorful wooden covered bridges that dot the country.”

Grab your phone or camera and start capturing the moment or memory. It can be a fun trip, especially if you are an avid photographer.

10 historic bridges worth seeing

According to The Florida Times-Union, these are just a few of Jacksonville’s historic bridges.

  • Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge (Dames Point Bridge),
  • Total Length – 10,646 ft. Opened March 1989
  • John E. Mathews Bridge
  • Total Length – 7,376 ft. Opened April 1953
  • Isaiah David Hart Bridge (The Hart Bridge)
  • Total Length – 3,844 ft. Opened November 1967
  • St. Elmo W. Acosta Bridge
  • Total Length – 1,645 ft. Opened August 1994

Other historic bridges in Florida

Bridge of Lions, St. Augustine

Total Length – 1,545 Ft. Opened in 1926

Bridge of Lions, St. Augustine (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

Lafayette Street Bridge (Kennedy Blvd. Drawbridge), Tampa

Total Length – 320 Ft. Opened in 1938

Title Traffic on Lafayette Street Bridge looking west toward Tampa Bay Hotel : Tampa, Fla. Creator Burgert Brothers Publisher Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System Date March 3, 1923 Date, Structured 1923-03-03 Date of Photographic Print 1976 printing Source (original item) 1 photograph :b & w ;21 x 26 cm. +1 negative (21 x 26 cm.) Format JPG 2000 Type Photographs Decade 1920-1929 Subject - Keywords Bridges--Florida--Tampa--Photographs. City Traffic--Florida--Tampa--Photographs. Subject - Corporate name Tampa Bay Hotel. Subject - Place Lafayette Street Bridge (Tampa, Fla.) Hillsborough River (Fla.) General Notes Preserve-a-Print donor: Mrs. Williard Hicks. Rights Public domain. Image may be used with the credit line: "Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System." Identifier 688.jpg Collection Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection Technical specs 8" x 10" print scanned at 100dpi and saved in JPG format History/Context The Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection of about 20,000 images presents a unique pictorial record of the commercial, residential and social growth of Tampa Bay and Florida's West coast from the late 1800s to the early 1960s. Print Number PA 688 Negative Number V433; R458 OCLC_No ocm43440178 (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

Columbia Drive Drawbridge (Michigan Avenue Bridge), Tampa

Total Length – 420 Ft. Opened in 1913

Columbia Drive Drawbridge (Michigan Avenue Bridge) (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

Blackburn Point Bridge, Sarasota

Total Length – 142 Ft. Opened in 1926

Osprey, Blackburn Point Bridge (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

Venetian Causeway, Miami

Total Length – 2.8 Miles Opened in 1925

Venetian Causeway (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

Seven Mile Bridge, Keys

Total Length – 12 Miles Opened in 1935

Seven Mile Bridge (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

About the Author

Jenn Samsel joined WJXT in September 2024 as a Content Gather. She has a passion for writing, reporting and is a weather/Hurricane enthusiast. She is excited to be part of News 4 Jax team. She graduated from the A.I Ft. Lauderdale with a BS in Graphic Design.

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