Bixby Creek Bridge
| Bixby Creek Bridge | |
|---|---|
Bixby Creek Bridge from its northern end
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| Coordinates | 36°22′17″N 121°54′07″W / 36.37139°N 121.90194°WCoordinates: 36°22′17″N 121°54′07″W / 36.37139°N 121.90194°W |
| Carries |
 SR 1
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| Crosses | Bixby Creek |
| Locale |
Big Sur Monterey County |
| Maintained by | Caltrans |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | reinforced concrete open-spandrel arch bridge |
| Total length | 714 feet (218 m) |
| Width | 24 feet (7 m) |
| Height | 280 feet (85 m) |
| Longest span | 360 feet (110 m) |
| Clearance below | 260 feet (79 m) |
| History | |
| Construction begin | August 24, 1931 |
| Construction end | October 15, 1932 |
| Opened | November 27, 1932 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 4,500 |
 Bixby Creek Bridge
Location in California
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Bixby Creek Bridge, also known as Bixby Bridge, on the Big Sur coast of California, is one of the most photographed bridges in California due to its aesthetic design, "graceful architecture and magnificent setting." It is a reinforced concrete open-spandrel arch bridge. The bridge is 120 miles (190 km) south of San Francisco and 13 miles (21 km) south of Carmel in Monterey County along State Route 1.
Prior to the opening of the bridge in 1932, residents of the Big Sur area were virtually cut off during winter due to the often impassable Old Coast Road that led 11 miles (18 km) inland. At its completion, the bridge was built under budget for $199,861 (equivalent to $3.5 million in 2016) and was the longest concrete arch span at 360 feet (110 m) on the California State Highway System. It is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world.
After the native Esselen people who resided in the area were virtually exterminated by the Spanish, the land from present day Carmel south to Palo Colorado Canyon, two miles north of Bixby Creek, was part of the Mexican land grant Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Marcelino Escobar. The land was later acquired by José Castro. He had a trail built from Monterey to Palo Colorado Canyon as early as 1853, when he filed a map of his purchase.
Bixby Creek is named after pioneering businessman Charles Henry Bixby. Originally from Livingston County, New York, he arrived in California in 1852 and remained for five years. He returned east before coming back to California. After some success raising cattle in Sonoma County, he obtained a patent on April 10, 1889 for 160 acres south of Bixby Creek, and later bought additional tracts of land on the north side of the creek, between it and Palo Colorado Canyon. He built a sawmill on the creek, which for many years was known as Mill Creek. He harvested timber and turned it into shakes, shingles, railroad ties, and trench posts. He also harvested the bark of the Tanbark Oak which was used for tanning cow hides. Bixby discovered lime deposits on Long Ridge above Mill Creek. He used mules to haul the lime to the coast on wooden sleds. He had kilns built and sold the fired lime as use in mortar and other building materials.
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Wikipedia