The 5,353-foot long Chain of Rocks Bridge was built in 1929 and served as a Mississippi River crossing for the Route 40 and Route 66 bypasses. The bridge is named after the rocky shoals found at this location of the river. The bridge is most notable for its 22-degree turn in the middle of the span. The turn was necessary for river navigation.
In 1967, the New Chain of Rock Bridge (on I-270) opened about a mile north of the old bridge. At that time the old bridge closed and it was slated for demolition. Fortunately, the high cost of demolition kept the bridge in place and in 2006 it was placed on the Register of Historic Places.
For many years the bridge was the scene of various crimes, including the 1991 murders of Julie and Robin Kerry. It was also used in the film Escape from New York.
In 1998, the bridge was renovated and converted to a hiking and biking trail.
Feedback: Do you have corrections or contributions for this page? Want to make a suggestion? Click here to send me an e-mail. I am espcially interested in memories, stories, postcards and photographs. Thanks!
