photo by Mark McKeown
Among the more interesting and storied of St. Louis bridges, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, with its characteristic 30-degree curve in the middle, was the entryway for Route 66 into Missouri. Today, this pedestrian-only bridge offers sweeping views of the Mississippi River, while at its base, St. Louis’ newest park promises to draw a new generation of curious St. Louisans.
photo by Sue Rakers
photo by Anna Ratzlaff
photo by Dennis Daugherty
photo by Joe Rakers
Opened in July 1929, the steel truss Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is perhaps the best known bridge in the St. Louis area, after the iconic Eads Bridge. At one-mile long, it is an impressive structure, but the odd-seeming, 30-degree turn in the middle of its span across the Mississippi River gives it that extra mystique. In fact, it was riverboat traffic which lent the Bridge its characteristic turn. The private owners of the bridge originally wanted it to be straight and to cross the River diagonally, but they were vetoed by the Army Corps of Engineers; the turn was a compromise to keep the bridge span over the central channel perpendicular to the River, which allowed for easier navigation by barges and other vessels. Most amusingly, the same Army Corps of Engineers, just 30 years later, would construct a low-water dam across the bridge’s namesake chain of rocks (a treacherous series of rock ledges just under the river’s surface), which gave rise to the canal that now bypasses riverboat traffic around the section of the river near the bridge.
photo by RJ Wilner
photo by Dennis Daugherty
photo by Jane DiCampo
photo by Sue Rakers
In 1936, US Route 66 was rerouted to cross the Mississippi River at Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, ensuring its usefulness during that era. In true Route 66 fashion, roadside attractions, including an amusement park with a rollercoaster and a golf course with a recreational pool, were constructed alongside the Missouri terminus for the Bridge. For several decades, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge enjoyed its prosperity as an essential scenic stop for road trippers’ seeking to complete the Route 66 experience.
photo by Jason Gray
photo by Mark McKeown
photo by Joe Rakers
photo by Jane DiCampo
In the late 1960’s, the Bridge was replaced by two modern structures (an eastbound and a westbound bridge) just to its north, which shared the name of the original Bridge. The initial plan was to scrap Old Chain of Rocks Bridge for its metal, but this was halted because of the immense cost involved. The Bridge was left to rust and decay, and soon became a nearly forgotten relic of another time.
photo by Jason Gray
photo by Anna Ratzlaff
photo by Joe Rakers
Before restoration in the late nineties, the Chain of Rocks Bridge was in total disrepair. It was reopened in 1999 as a foot and bicycle bridge, and has been central to the ongoing push to convert more of Chouteau Island over to recreational use.
Of course, the Bridge is also essential to the revitalization of the area surrounding its Missouri landing. In the Spring of 2024, Great Rivers Greenway opened Chain of Rocks Park, a 16-acre site designed with input from the surrounding community to encourage residents to utilize it. The Park is also the northernmost anchor of Greenway’s Riverfront Trail, that extends south to the Gateway Arch and connects to hundreds of miles of trails throughout the region.
photo by Jason Gray
photo by Sue Rakers
photo by Joe Rakers
photo by Anna Ratzlaff
