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London Bridge (Lake Havasu City)
Encyclopedia
London Bridge is a bridge in Lake Havasu City
, Arizona
, United States
, that is the reconstruction of the 1831 London Bridge
that spanned the River Thames
in London
, England
until it was dismantled in 1967. The Arizona bridge is a reinforced concrete
structure clad in the original masonry of the 1830s bridge, that was bought by Robert P. McCulloch from the City of London
. McCulloch had exterior granite blocks from the original bridge numbered and transported to America, to construct the present bridge in Lake Havasu City, a planned community he established in 1964 on the shore of Lake Havasu
. The bridge was completed in 1971 (along with a canal), and links an island in the lake with the main part of Lake Havasu City.
.
The purchaser, Robert McCulloch
, was the founder of Lake Havasu and the chairman of McCulloch Oil Corporation. McCulloch purchased the bridge to serve as a tourist attraction to his retirement real estate development at Lake Havasu City, which at that time was far from the usual tourist track. The idea was successful, bringing interested tourists and retirement home buyers to the area.
After relocation to America, the bridge was reconstructed in Lake Havasu City, a developed community on the east shore of Lake Havasu
, a large reservoir on the Colorado River
. The bridge was not reconstructed over a river, but rather it was rebuilt on land in a position between the main part of the city and Pittsburgh Point, at that time a peninsula jutting into Lake Havasu
. Once completed, the Bridgewater Channel Canal was dredged under the bridge and flooded, separating Pittsburgh Point from the city, creating an island. The bridge thus now traverses a navigable shortcut between the Thompson Bay part of Lake Havasu south of Pittsburgh Point, and the remainder of Lake Havasu to the north.
The bridge facing stones were disassembled and each was numbered. After the bridge was dismantled it was transported to Merrivale Quarry where 15 to 20 cm was sliced off many of the original stones. These were shipped to the bridge's present location and re-assembly began in 1968. The original stone was used to clad a concrete structure, so that the bridge is no longer the original after which it is modeled. The reconstruction took slightly over three years and was completed in late 1971. Today, it serves as a popular tourist attraction for the city.
Recent years have seen a large amount of development in the area of the bridge to increase tourist interest. The original "English Village", a quaint English-style open air mall with hedge maze and historical museum, has deteriorated, with sections leveled.
, but this was ardently denied by McCulloch himself and by Ivan Luckin, who sold the bridge.
The bridge's relocation was the basis of a 1985 made for TV movie Bridge Across Time (also known as Arizona Ripper or Terror at London Bridge), directed by E.W. Swackhamer
and starring David Hasselhoff
and Stepfanie Kramer
. In the film, a series of murders in Lake Havasu is attributed to the spirit of Jack the Ripper
, whose soul is transported to the United States in one of the bricks of the bridge. Also, the movie "Falling Down
", the title of which references the nursery rhyme "London Bridge is Falling Down
", has a Los Angeles cop's wife who wants to relocate to Lake Havasu City after he retires.
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,938 people, 17,911 households, and 12,716 families residing in the city. The population density was 974.4 people per square mile . There were 23,018 housing units at an average density of 534.8 per square mile...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, that is the reconstruction of the 1831 London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
that spanned the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
until it was dismantled in 1967. The Arizona bridge is a reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
structure clad in the original masonry of the 1830s bridge, that was bought by Robert P. McCulloch from the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. McCulloch had exterior granite blocks from the original bridge numbered and transported to America, to construct the present bridge in Lake Havasu City, a planned community he established in 1964 on the shore of Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore. The lake has a capacity of . The concrete arch dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938...
. The bridge was completed in 1971 (along with a canal), and links an island in the lake with the main part of Lake Havasu City.
Description
The 1831 London Bridge was the last project of engineer John Rennie and completed by his son, also named John Rennie. By 1962, the bridge was not sound enough to support the increased load of modern traffic, and was sold by the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
.
The purchaser, Robert McCulloch
Robert McCulloch
Robert Paxton McCulloch was a Missourian entrepreneur most notable for McCulloch chainsaws and purchasing the new London Bridge and moving it to one of the cities he founded, Lake Havasu City, Arizona.- Biography :...
, was the founder of Lake Havasu and the chairman of McCulloch Oil Corporation. McCulloch purchased the bridge to serve as a tourist attraction to his retirement real estate development at Lake Havasu City, which at that time was far from the usual tourist track. The idea was successful, bringing interested tourists and retirement home buyers to the area.
After relocation to America, the bridge was reconstructed in Lake Havasu City, a developed community on the east shore of Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore. The lake has a capacity of . The concrete arch dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938...
, a large reservoir on the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
. The bridge was not reconstructed over a river, but rather it was rebuilt on land in a position between the main part of the city and Pittsburgh Point, at that time a peninsula jutting into Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore. The lake has a capacity of . The concrete arch dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938...
. Once completed, the Bridgewater Channel Canal was dredged under the bridge and flooded, separating Pittsburgh Point from the city, creating an island. The bridge thus now traverses a navigable shortcut between the Thompson Bay part of Lake Havasu south of Pittsburgh Point, and the remainder of Lake Havasu to the north.
The bridge facing stones were disassembled and each was numbered. After the bridge was dismantled it was transported to Merrivale Quarry where 15 to 20 cm was sliced off many of the original stones. These were shipped to the bridge's present location and re-assembly began in 1968. The original stone was used to clad a concrete structure, so that the bridge is no longer the original after which it is modeled. The reconstruction took slightly over three years and was completed in late 1971. Today, it serves as a popular tourist attraction for the city.
Recent years have seen a large amount of development in the area of the bridge to increase tourist interest. The original "English Village", a quaint English-style open air mall with hedge maze and historical museum, has deteriorated, with sections leveled.
In popular culture
It is a popular rumour that the bridge was bought in the belief that it was London's more recognizable Tower BridgeTower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name...
, but this was ardently denied by McCulloch himself and by Ivan Luckin, who sold the bridge.
The bridge's relocation was the basis of a 1985 made for TV movie Bridge Across Time (also known as Arizona Ripper or Terror at London Bridge), directed by E.W. Swackhamer
E.W. Swackhamer
Egbert Warnderink "E. W." Swackhamer Jr. was an American television and film director....
and starring David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
and Stepfanie Kramer
Stepfanie Kramer
Stepfanie Kramer is an American actress, writer, and singer/songwriter. She is probably best known for her role as the tough-minded detective, "Sgt...
. In the film, a series of murders in Lake Havasu is attributed to the spirit of Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
, whose soul is transported to the United States in one of the bricks of the bridge. Also, the movie "Falling Down
Falling Down
Falling Down is a 1993 crime-drama film directed by Joel Schumacher. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster , a divorcee and unemployed former defense engineer...
", the title of which references the nursery rhyme "London Bridge is Falling Down
London Bridge is Falling Down
"London Bridge Is Falling Down" is a well-known traditional nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 502.-Lyrics:...
", has a Los Angeles cop's wife who wants to relocate to Lake Havasu City after he retires.
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