Memorial Bridge

Having only one bridge crossing the Manistee River Channel, officials came to the conclusion that if the Maple Street Bridge were open for boating traffic, or by some chance damaged, there would be no way for fire trucks to cross the river. Additionally, the population of the city was growing, and it was deemed that a second bridge was in great demand. In 1893, a new bridge was constructed and opened the following year. This second bridge was named the Smith Street Bridge because it was built between Smith Street on the south and Arthur Street on the north. In July 1931, an accident occurred when a barge became grounded in the river near the bridge. Not realizing how close the overpass was to the barge, the tenders lowered the structure causing the ship to destroy the underpinnings of the bridge, which then collapsed. Construction of a new bridge commenced in July 1932 and continued through the following year. Once finished, the bridge came in at the astronomical cost of $325,000. Being a state-owned structure, the majority of the cost was financed by the state, the city was billed for only 5% of the total cost. In November 1933, the bridge was renamed Memorial Bridge to honor the area's war veterans. It opened to traffic later that month.