London Bridge in Lake Havasu City
Lake Havasu City in Arizona is home to an extremely strange tourist attraction – London Bridge. This is the bridge that crossed the River Thames in London between 1831 and 1967, arguably best seen on a sunset cocktail cruise.
Why is London Bridge in Arizona?
When it was decided a new river crossing was required, the existing bridge was put up for auction. It was purchased by chainsaw entrepreneur Robert McCulloch, who decided to move it to Lake Havasu City – a settlement he had founded in eastern Arizona.
McCulloch had every granite block of London Bridge marked and numbered, then shipped via the Panama Canal to Long Beach, California. The blocks were then trucked overland and reassembled in Lake Havasu City.
A man-made channel – now known as Bridgewater Channel – was then dug out, and filled with water from the lake. London Bridge now crosses the Bridgewater channel.
Driving across London Bridge
One of the original reasons for replacing London Bridge was that it was sinking under the weight of traffic. Therefore, it’s somewhat surprising that it is possible to drive over London Bridge in Lake Havasu City.
This is because McCulloch had London Bridge hollowed out. Traffic no longer makes the support sink into the earth on either bank.
Besides, it’s not like there’s heavy traffic over the bridge. The main road in Lake Havasu City – Arizona State Route 95 – does not go over it.
Driving over London Bridge takes you to The Island, which was created by the cutting of the Bridgewater Channel. The Island is a place of beaches, tourist accommodation and a mall containing the Barley Brothers restaurant-brewery.
More Arizona travel
For more things to do in Arizona, head here.
Other articles about Arizona on Planet Whitley include:
- Should I do a Grand Canyon day tour from Sedona?
- Where to see bears in Arizona.
- The best route from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon.
- Red Rock Crossing in Sedona – nature’s greatest swimming pool?
- How to drive Hermit Road at the Grand Canyon without taking the shuttle bus.
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