The first High Bridge spanning the Mississippi River and linking Saint Paul to the West Side opened in 1889. Constructed of iron, it was an engineering marvel, 2,770 feet long and 191 feet tall at its highest point. On opening day, when Mayor Smith rode a buggy across it, sightseers came by the thousands. The bridge became an icon for Saint Paul until it was declared unsafe in 1984, and its sudden closure cut off this part of the West Side. Senator Dave Durenberger responded by meeting with residents and merchants, then on Oct. 3, 1984, introduced the Durenberger amendment to the Highway Act allowing construction of today’s steel cantilever tied deck arch bridge. Thanks to his timely efforts, the new High Bridge opened in July 1987 after just two years of construction, came in on time and under budget, and was acclaimed by architectural historian Larry Millet as "a beauty of a bridge." The remains of the old bridge were demolished on Feb. 24, 1985, when seventy-six pounds of plastic explosives brought it down as crowds gathered to watch.
