Portland-South Portland Bridge, ca. 1938

Contributed by Boston Public Library

Portland-South Portland Bridge, ca. 1938

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Description

The Portland-South Portland Bridge, also known as the Million Dollar Bridge due to the cost of is construction, was designed in 1914 and opened over the Fore River in 1916. The new bascule bridge made use of the pivot pier of the swing-span Fore River Bridge it replaced. It was designed with 33 approach spans and a double-lead bascule span that was supported by piers 18 and 19. The wooden timber fender system that protected these piers originally provided 100 feet of horizontal clearance but underwent many transformation overs the bridge’s life span, including a reduction in clearance height. The so-called Million Dollar Bridge was owned by Cumberland County until 1959, when it was passed to the MDOT. The bridge sustained damage from many vessel accidents over the years, and in the 1950s, consultants began to conduct studies for replacement structures. The Casco Bay Bridge was the eventual replacement in 1997 after the Liberian tanker Julie N. caused severe damage to the original Portland-South Portland Bridge on September 27, 1996.

The caption reads, "Portland -- South Portland Bridge, Portland, Me."

The Tichnor Brothers printing company published this type of postcard circa 1938.

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About This Item

  • Title: Portland-South Portland Bridge, ca. 1938
  • Creator: Tichnor Bros., Inc.
  • Creation Date: circa 1938
  • Locations:
    • Portland, Cumberland County, ME
    • South Portland, Cumberland County, ME
  • Media: Linen texture postcard
  • Dimensions: 9 cm x 14 cm
  • Collection: The Tichnor Brothers Collection
  • Object Type: Text and Image

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Boston Public Library
700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 859-2039
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