The Colossus Bridge – also known as Fairmount Bridge, Colossus of Fairmount or Upper Ferry Bridge (and formally as the Lancaster Schuylkill Bridge) – was a record-setting timber bridge across the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia. It was built in 1812 by Louis Wernwag, and was considered his finest bridge design. It had a clear span of 340 feet (103.6 m) (contemporary US Record) and was the first long span bridge to use iron rods.
The bridge was destroyed in 1838 by fire. The bridge was succeeded by Charles Ellet, Jr.'s wire suspension bridge and then the Callowhill Street truss bridge. The modern bridge at this site is the Spring Garden Street Bridge.
The bridge was located near 39°57′50″N 75°11′00″W / 39.96389°N 75.18333°W / 39.96389; -75.18333Coordinates: 39°57′50″N 75°11′00″W / 39.96389°N 75.18333°W / 39.96389; -75.18333.
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"Schuylkill Waterworks" (1835), with "The Colossus" in the background.
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"A View of Fairmount and the Waterworks" (1835) by John Rubens Smith.
Famous quotes containing the words colossus and/or bridge:
“Now the long-feared Asiatic colossus takes its turn as world leader, and we—the white race—have become the yellow man’s burden. Let us hope that he will treat us more kindly than we treated him.”
—Gore Vidal (b. 1925)
“London Bridge is broken down,
Dance o’er my lady lee,
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay lady.
How shall we build it up again?
Dance o’er my lady lee,”
—Unknown. London Bridge (l. 1–6)