Spanning the Mon
For a towboat pilot pushing coal in the 1940s, bridges were milestones on a river lined with 62 glass factories, 350 coal mines and 35 steel mills, "all blamming away." Today, most of the mills are gone, but the bridges remain as visual reminders of the region's industrial past.
In this interactive, you will discover the history in words and images of every bridge on the Monongahela from Pittsburgh's Point to Elizabeth. Their stories span the river and the centuries since someone first set out to cross the Mon.
Read the Bridges on the Monongahela River story.
Interactive: Bridges of Pittsburgh: The Allegheny River
Writing: Marylynne Pitz and Kevin Kirkland
Photography: Darrell Sapp
Video: Andrew Rush
Monongahela Sal
By Robert Schmertz, 1947
She was born in an old Monessen alley
and her ma and her pa, they call'd her "Sal"
She grew up to be the Pride of the Valley
a typical Monongahela gal
She wander'd one day by the river,
where she watch'd the "Jason" steamin' by
and her heart gave a leap and a quiver
when she caught the handsome pilot's rovin' eye
His name, so they say, was Mote Stanley
and he wore a fancy sportin' coat
He was tall, dark and handsome and manly
and the best durn pilot ever steer'd a boat.
Chorus:
Roll on, Monongahela
roll on to the Ohio
Roll on past Aliquippi
down to the Mississippi,
clear to the Gulf of Mexico!
Then Mote gave a toot of his whistle
And the "Jason" churn'd the water at her stern,
And Sal, steppin' light as a thistle,
Reach'd up and took Mote Stanley's hand in her'n
It was love, careless love on the river,
It was love careless love by the shore;
But I know that the Lord will forgive her
'Cause she never knew what love was like before
He swore that he always would love her
As they lock'd through the old Emsworth dam
But that night overboard he did shove her
And then Mote Stanley took it on the lam!
Chorus:
Roll on Monongahela
And lap the waters gently at Dra-vo
Where they're back to makin' barges at much more normal charges
Than the LST's they made some years ago.
Now, no one could say that Sal was sickly;
She didn't even take time out to bawl
She just high-tailed right down to Sewickley
Slappin' out a fast Australian crawl
Then Sal hit the grit at Rochester
Where the "Jason" was a-steaming close to shore
From a yard bull who tried to arrest her
She up and swiped a great big .44
She raised up that big shootin' iron
And she banged six shots right into Mote
And when she had fin'lly ceas'd firin'
She'd sure mess'd up that fancy sportin' coat!
Roll on Monongahela
Where the catfish and carp left long ago
You us'd to be pewer, but now you're just a sewer
messin' up the Gulf of Mexico!
Then Sal to the judges said "Good Mornin'!"
And the jury foreman said "Not guilty, gal!"
So let all you pilots take warnin'
Don't mess around Monongahela Sal!
Fort Pitt Bridge
This view from Mt. Washington about 1905 shows the first Point Bridge, built in 1876-77. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story. Credit: Library of Congress
The first Point Bridge is in the foreground of the 1892 engraving ''Pittsburg, Pennsylvania from Grand View Avenue'' by Charles Graham. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story. Credit: Harper's Weekly
This picture from about 1927 shows the first Point Bridge from Mount Washington. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story. Credit: Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection, 1901-2002
New and old Point bridges are shown a few days before opening of the new bridge, circa 1927. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story. Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981" The Fort Pitt Bridge begins to rise, about 1959. The Point Bridge stands in the background at left. It was demolished in the summer of 1970. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981
Engineer George Richardson used a computer to design the Fort Pitt Bridge. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Fort Pitt Bridge is one of the city's busiest. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Fort Pitt Bridge is a double-decked, tied-arch bridge. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Fort Pitt Bridge is in the foreground of this aerial view of the Point. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Fort Pitt Bridge connects to the Fort Pitt tunnels and the South Hills. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Fort Pitt Bridge frames the towers of PPG Place. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Many of the city's bridges, including the Fort Pitt Bridge, are painted gold. See the Fort Pitt Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Smithfield Street Bridge
This 1825 painting shows the Pittsburgh end of the first covered, wooden Smithfield Street Bridge, built in 1818. The artist was Leander McCandless. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
The Great Fire of 1845 destroyed the original wooden bridge that existed where the Smithfield Street Bridge now stands. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Pittsburgh Prints from the Collection of Wesley Pickard, c.1843-1982,AIS.2006.03 Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
This is the second bridge at Smithfield Street, built in 1846 by John A. Roebling. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
This 1894 pictures show the current Smithfield Street Bridge. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation Collection Photographs, 1864-1953
A trolley crosses the Smithfield Street Bridge, circa 1982. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation Collection Photographs, 1864-1953
Lights illuminate the trusses of the Smithfield Street Bridge. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Ten-foot-tall finials top the Smithfield Street Bridge entrance. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Smithfield Street Bridge's historic colors are blue, cinnamon and buttercream. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
These lenticular trusses -- a figure 8 turned on its side -- are the oldest in the United States. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The city's coat of arms appears on the Smithfield Street Bridge. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The city's architect, Stanley Roush, designed this miner with a pick for the Smithfield Street Bridge. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
A detail is shown of the Smithfield Street Bridge as it crosses the Monongahela River. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The catenaries on the Smithfield Street Bridge support the bridge's weight. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Smithfield Street Bridge frames Downtown. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
A pleasure boat passes under the Smithfield Street Bridge. See the Smithfield Street Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Liberty Bridge
The Liberty Bridge was built in 1928 by Allegheny County and was designed by George S. Richardson. The bridge, spanning the Monongahela River between the Boulevard of the Allies and the Liberty Tubes, has 420-foot main spans. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
This 1928 image shows construction of the Liberty Bridge over the Monongahela River. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
The four-lane Liberty Bridge, which opened in March 1928, provided the first direct route to Downtown for South Hills motorists. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
This aerial view of the Liberty Bridge also shows the Pandhandle Bridge, at left. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Liberty Bridge connects with the Boulevard of the Allies and Crosstown Boulevard. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The X-shaped supports beneath the Liberty Bridge are painted gold. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
This side of the Liberty Bridge highlights its structure and piers. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
A pier stands under the Liberty Bridge near First Avenue. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The rounded edge of the Liberty Bridge is a ramp from Boulevard of the Allies. See the Liberty Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
South Tenth Street Bridge
Built in 1861, this highway and street car bridge stood at Tenth Street. This picture is circa 1928. See the South Tenth Street Bridge story.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
A night view of the South Tenth Street Bridge shows the city's only conventional suspension bridge. See the South Tenth Street Bridge
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
George S. Richardson designed the South Tenth Street Bridge. See the South Tenth Street Bridge
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The South Tenth Street Bridge's wire cables are held down by concrete masses called anchorages. See the South Tenth Street Bridge
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
This 116-foot-high tower helps support more than 7 million pounds of structural ironwork on the South Tenth Street Bridge. See the South Tenth Street Bridge
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Suspension cables hang in the middle of the South Tenth Street Bridge. See the South Tenth Street Bridge
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Cables hang from the deck of the South Tenth Street Bridge. See the South Tenth Street Bridge
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Birmingham Bridge
The South 22nd Street Bridge, also known as the Brady Street Bridge, is under construction in this photo circa 1896. The Birmingham Bridge replaced it. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
The Birmingham Bridge frames the Downtown skyline at night. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Birmingham Bridge in the foreground of this view looking toward the Point. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Birmingham Bridge's nickname is the Green Elephant. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Cables that hang from the Birmingham Bridge arch are attached to braces supporting the bridge deck. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Birmingham Bridge frames the South Side Slopes. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
This is the bow-string arch amd steel structure of the Birmingham Bridge. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
A thick plate is attached between the lanes and walkway of the Birmingham Bridge. See the Birmingham Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Hot Metal Bridge
From front to back, this 1902 drawing shows the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Munhall, Union Railroad Carrie Furnace Hot Metal and Braddock bridges. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: pghbridges.com
The Hot Metal and Monongahela Connecting bridges are shown above the 22nd Street Bridge. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
This circa 1928 photo shows the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad at Munhall. The far end of this structure connected to the Homestead Works of the Carnegie Steel Co., which became U.S. Steel. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
In 2000 the city spent $12 million to convert the Monongahela Connecting Railroad Bridge and the Hot Metal Bridge alongside it for vehicles. The repurposed bridges link Second Avenue in Hazelwood to the South Side. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Coal barges approach the Hot Metal Bridge. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Cycling and auto lanes are separated on the Hot Metal Bridge. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Bicyclists travel the Hot Metal Bridge regularly. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Hot Metal Bridge was built to carry railcars that weighed between 80 and 165 tons. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge, a 483-foot-long railroad bridge, stretches across the Monongahela River to the remains of the Carrie Furnaces in Rankin. Molten iron used to be taken from the furnace to the Homestead Works, where it was forged into steel. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Barges laden with coal are docked near the Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge. See the Hot Metal Bridge.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Rust covers the exterior of the abandoned Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Huge cars known as submarine ladles moved across this bridge during the 1800s and into the 20th century. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge has not been used for at least 40 years. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Weeds grow between the railroad tracks on the Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge. See the Hot Metal Bridge. " />
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge frames some of the remaining blast furnaces at the shuttered mill. See the Hot Metal Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Glenwood Bridge
A sign warns smokers not to start fires on the rickety wooden Glenwood Bridge, 1964. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Post-Gazette
Signs warn motorists on the Glenwood Bridge not to throw lit cigarette butts onto the wooden bridge and to travel at their own risk, circa 1962. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Post-Gazette
Men pry up the trolley tracks on the Glenwood Bridge, 1960s. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Post-Gazette
Broken, uneven wood on the old Glenwood Bridge often caused tire blowouts, 1965. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Post-Gazette
The current Glenwood Bridge, which opened in 1966, is Pennsylvania's first all-welded, steel truss bridge. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Post-Gazette
In the foreground is the new Glenwood Bridge. To the right is the Glenwood railroad bridge. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
To build the new the Glenwood Bridge, 1 million tons of earth were removed from two hillsides in the city neighborhood of Hays. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Glenwood Bridge cost $18 million and took nearly a decade to build. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The new Glenwood Bridge has 6,830 tons of structural steel. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Glenwood Bridge links Hazelwood with Hays. See the Glenwood Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Homestead Grays Bridge
Brown's Bridge, shown in this drawing circa 1902, preceded the Homestead Grays Bridge and was opened in 1897. It had two lanes for streetcars, wagons and the occasional automobile. See the Homestead Grays Bridge story.
Credit: pghbridges.com
Brown's Bridge, shown circa 1936, linked Homestead with Duck Hollow, a favorite recreation area in the first quarter of the 20th century. See the Homestead Grays Bridge story.
Credit: Walter J. Teskey Photograph Collection
The Homestead Grays Bridge looms over part of the Waterfront shopping complex. See the Homestead Grays Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Homestead Grays Bridge opened in 1937 with a deck 109 feet above the river. Its height was why it was originally called the Homestead High Level Bridge. See the Homestead Grays Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
At 516 feet, the Homestead Greys Bridge is the longest on the Monongahela River. See the Homestead Grays Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
In 2002 the bridge was renamed to honor the Homestead Grays, a Negro League baseball team. See the Homestead Grays Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Muscular catcher Josh Gibson is among 18 Negro League baseball players pictured on the bridge. The players hailed from the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords baseball teams. See the Homestead Grays Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Four stone benches sit at each corner of the Homestead Grays Bridge. See the Homestead Grays Bridge. "
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
George Rankin Jr. Memorial Bridge
The first Braddock Bridge, circa 1910, features in this postcard. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Library of Congress
The old Braddock Bridge stands on the left while the new Rankin Bridge is being built, circa 1950. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
The Rankin Bridge, shown here at night, connects Rankin with West Mifflin. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
This view of the Rankin Bridge shows Braddock to the right. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
A blue arch under the Rankin Bridge frames Braddock. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Steel reinforces the deck of the Rankin Bridge. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Rankin Bridge was one of three built in 1951 in the Monongahela Valley. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Rankin Bridge is a favorite route to Kennywood amusement park, whose sign is in the background. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge (left) was built in 1928. The other bridge on the right is a railroad bridge that is now part of the Great Allegheny Passage bicycle trail. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Clairton-Glassport Bridge is also known as the Sen. Edward P. Zemprelli Bridge. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The W.D. Mansfield Memorial Bridge runs between McKeesport and Dravosburg. See the Rankin Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Elizabeth Bridge
This 1950 picture shows the construction of the Elizabeth Bridge, which opened in 1951. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Post-Gazette
Jim Truman starts walking up the Elizabeth Bridge to move cables for painters' scaffolds in 1986. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Elizabeth Bridge mimics Gustav Lindenthal's Hell Gate Bridge, built in the early 1900s on the East River in New York City. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Elizabeth Bridge stands in the community where boatbuilder John Walker built the keelboat for Lewis and Clark in 1803. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark shortly afterward explored the Louisiana Purchase territory. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Elizabeth Bridge is supported by cantilever arch through-truss construction. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Elizabeth Bridge connects Elizabeth with West Elizabeth. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
These staircases lead to the Elizabeth Bridge from the West Elizabeth side. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Rivets line the interior structure of the Elizabeth Bridge. See the Elizabeth Bridge story.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Railroad bridges
The far end of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Bridge in Munhall runs into the Homestead Works of the Carnegie Steel Co., which became U.S. Steel. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
This Pennsylvania Railroad bridge connected Fourth Avenue Station to the South Side. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
The McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge (left) was built in 1928. The other bridge on the right is a railroad bridge that is now part of the Great Allegheny Passage bicycle trail. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
So many railroads converged on Point Perry that the town disappeared in the late 1800s. The two Port Perry railroad bridges are shown here circa 1928. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
These two railroad bridges at Port Perry were built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Union Railroad in the late 1800s. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Wabash Bridge carried the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway. It was erected in 1902, and its superstructure was removed in 1948. The piers still stand between the Fort Pitt and Smithfield Street bridges. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: ''The Bridges of Pittsburgh''
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad built the Glenwood Railroad Bridge, the middle bridge in the photo. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Post-Gazette" Beams of steel dwarfed construction workers who in 1983 were converting the deck of the Panhandle Bridge so it can carry light rail vehicles over the Monongahela River. The Panhandle Bridge stands between the Smithfield Street Bridge and the Liberty Bridge. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Post-Gazette
This 1983 photo shows construction crews converting the deck of the Panhandle Bridge so that it can carry light rail transit cars. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: James Klingensmith/Post-Gazette
The Panhandle Bridge serves the Port Authority's light rail transit line into town and is downstream from the Liberty Bridge. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Built of ''camelback'' Pratt trusses, the Panhandle Bridge replaced a predecessor built in 1863. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway built the Panhandle Bridge in 1903. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
An light rail transit car crosses the Panhandle Bridge, with the Smithfield Street, Fort Pitt and West End bridges in the background. The Panhandle Bridge is only used for LRT commuter traffic, although it was originally built for railroad cars. See the railroad bridges.
Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
The Panhandle Bridge passes over Downtown streets and near a PNC Bank building. See the railroad bridges. Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Most of Pittsburgh's railroad bridges are painted black, probably because so they would blend in with the grime emitted from coal-powered steam locomotives. See the railroad bridges. Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
Commuters leave the First Avenue light rail train station after crossing the Monongahela River on the Panhandle Bridge, below. See the railroad bridges. Credit: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette