The Chain of Rocks Bridge is a 5,350 feet long bridge spanning the Mississippi River on the north edge of St. Louis, Missouri. It was the most famous crossing of Route 66 over the river. Its most famous feature is a 22-degree bend occurring at the middle of the crossing, necessary for navigation on the river. The name comes from a "chain" of rocks crossing the Mississippi just below the bridge. Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint Louis¹: 5,500 m³/s Vicksburg²: 16,800 m³/s Baton Rouge³: 12,800 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin  Lake Itasca Mouth  Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ... Alternate meanings of Route 66: New Jersey State Highway 66, Interstate 66, and a company named after the route US Highway 66 or Route 66 was and is the most famous road in the United States highway system and quite possibly the most famous and storied highway in the world. ...

Chain of Rocks Bridge

Image File history File links Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. ...

History

It was built in 1929 as a toll bridge (privately — at a cost of US$2.5 million) and later turned over to the city of Madison, Illinois, the current owner of the bridge. In the late 1930s, Bypass US 66 was designated over this bridge and around the northern and western parts of St. Louis to avoid the downtown city (City US 66 continued to cross the Mississippi River over the MacArthur Bridge). Eventually, the toll was removed from the bridge due to a law prohibiting the collecting of tolls on US Highways. In 1967, a new set of bridges, to the north, carrying I-270 was built and in 1970 the Chain of Rocks Bridge was closed. For nearly three decades, the fate of the bridge was unknown, with the high probability of its being destroyed. However, the cost of demolition was too high for the city and the bridge remained. In 1981, it was used in the shooting of the movie Escape from New York. Jump to: navigation, search 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Madison is a city located in Madison County, Illinois. ... Jump to: navigation, search // Events and trends The 1930s were described as an an abrupt shift to more radical lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the global depression. ... The MacArthur Bridge over the Mississippi River between St. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Interstate 270 is the designation for four three-digit interstate routes in the United States, all related to I-70. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Escape from New York is a 1981 science fiction action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. ...

The Present

On April 4, 1991 a group of four men (Marlin Gray, Antonio Richardson, Reginald Clemons and Daniel Winfrey) sexually assaulted and then murdered two sisters on this bridge. April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search Marlin Gray (September 29, 1967 - October 26, 2005) was a murderer executed by the U.S. state of Missouri by lethal injection. ...

In 1998, the bridge was leased to a local trails group for a pedestrian bridge across the river and occasional motor tours for various Route 66 groups.

From the Illinois side of the bridge, signs marked "HISTORIC ROUTE 66 SPUR" take travellers to the Illinois side of the bridge and a "HISTORIC ROUTE 66" sign marks the Missouri side of the bridge. The Gateway Arch is visible downriver; and, immediately below the bridge, the castle-like water intakes for the St. Louis Waterworks are visible. There is a possiblity of the bridge being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Old Courthouse sits at the heart of the city of Saint Louis, with the arch to the east, near the rivers edge. ... The National Register of Historic Places is the USAs official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects worthy of preservation. ...