Patterson Bridge, also known as Rogue River Bridge, was completed on January 21, 1932 and dedicated in memory of Oregon Governor Isaac Lee Patterson, who served from 1926 until his death in office in 1929. The construction contract was awarded to Mercer Frazer Co. of Eureka, California for $600,000, construction began in March 1930, and the bridge opened to traffic about 660 days later. It was considered the most advanced concrete bridge in America, and its head bridge engineer for the Oregon Highway department was Conde B. McCollough, who became known in Oregon history for bridge designs that combined graceful beauty with exceptional engineering standards. The bridge became famous for using a new construction technique developed by French engineer Ernest Freyssinet, making it the first bridge in the United States to use this French method. The arch was built in two independent segments separated at the crown, then the crown was separated with screw jacks and hydraulic jacks, metal rods were welded into the crown space, and the area was filled with concrete to create a pre-stressed concrete arch. On May 28, 1932, more than 5000 people attended the official dedication in Gold Beach after Vice President of the United States Charles Curtis, serving during the presidency of Herbert Hoover, pressed a Gold Telegraph key at the White House to signal the ceremony to begin. The celebration that followed included carnival games, boat races, live bands, and a massive salmon barbecue. In 1982, the bridge was listed as a national engineering landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers, and in 1999 a $13 million grant was authorized for its preservation so future generations could enjoy the structure.