Tower Bridge
Also known as: M Street Bridge; Capitol Avenue Bridge
Why it's listed
Tower Bridge is a steel vertical lift bridge that carries State Highway 275 over the Sacramento River, linking Sacramento and Yolo counties. Built between 1934 and 1936 by A. Teichert & Son, Inc., it replaced the 1911-12 M Street Bridge, which was structurally sound but slow to open and too narrow for traffic. The new bridge originally carried the Sacramento Northern Railway on its centerline, with traffic lanes on each side. Its design team in the state Bridge Department sheathed the lift towers in steel plate and added concrete pylons, producing a restrained Streamlined Moderne look at the approach to the State capitol. Engineering details include parallel tower legs and a lightweight welded deck developed for the San Francisco Bay Bridge. When finished, it was the only vertical lift bridge on the state highway system, and in 1936 it won second place in a national steel construction competition. The railroad tracks were removed in 1963, and repainting in the mid-1970s changed its color.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is significant for its restrained Streamlined Moderne design, seen in its sheathed towers and concrete pylons, and for engineering features such as parallel tower legs and a lightweight concrete deck developed for the San Francisco Bay Bridge. It was the first and only vertical lift span on the California Highway System when completed. It also won national recognition in 1936 and long served as the gateway to the State capitol.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82004845, listed June 24, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | CA 275 across Sacramento River, Sacramento |
|---|---|
| County | Sacramento County |
| Listed | June 24, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004845 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1934-1936 |
| Architect / builder | A. Teichert & Son, Inc. (contractor); designed by the Bridge Department of the Division of Highways with the aid of the State Architect |
| Architectural style | Streamlined Moderne |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition and altered: railroad tracks were removed in 1963 and the bridge was repainted in the mid-1970s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.57161, -121.50811 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82004845.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1027362
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.