Until 1919, when a high suspension bridge was completed here, this 16-mile-long river gorge could be crossed only in a rowboat. With 14 cables, each more than 900 feet long, the $100,000 suspension bridge was wide enough to accommodate two lanes of farm wagons or early cars that had begun to gain popularity then. From its deck, nearly 400 feet above Snake River, travelers had a spectacular view that still can be seen from its replacement, built in 1966.