See The Oldest Missouri Bridge Once Thought to Be ‘Impossible’

Engineers originally thought this bridge was impossible to build, yet it happened. It's one of the oldest bridges in Missouri and the first to span the Mississippi River in St. Louis and it still stands today.

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Imagine trying to use technology possible in the year 1874 to create a span capable of withstanding the power of the Mississippi River. That was the task that engineers had when plans began for what became the Eads Bridge in St. Louis.

The construction of this Missouri bridge was so perilous, the Missouri Historical Society reports that a dozen workers died as it was being built.

Prior to the Gateway Arch being constructed in 1966, the Eads Bridge was the iconic symbol of St. Louis. It was an engineering feat that provided travel and trade over the Mississippi River. Now, it's a bridge that many still drive over, but don't realize the immense history they're crossing.

This combination of iron and steel has quite literally stood the test of time and remains as a remnant of a past era that remains vital today. The Eads Bridge in Missouri, one of the oldest spans still standing not just in the Show Me State, but in America.