| The 700 foot Mears Memorial Bridge was completed in 1923, and was the longest Truss span in the US. As of 1999, it was still the longest span in Alaska, annd the 3rd longest simple truss bridge in North America. In one of his last appearances before his death, President Warren G. Harding traveled to Alaska to drive the ceremonial last spike at the north (left in this picture) end of the bridge on July 15, 1923. The bridge was named after an army Colonel by the name of Frederick Mears, wh would later go on to b a project manager during the construction of the second Cascade Tunnel in Stevens Pass, Washington. |