Healdsburg Memorial Bridge
Also known as: Redwood Highway Bridge, Russian River Bridge #20C-65
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Spanning the Russian River at Healdsburg, this 438-foot steel bridge was completed in 1921 and once served as a landmark on the Redwood Highway linking San Francisco with Oregon. Its Pennsylvania through-truss design uses two spans with pin-connected panels and extra stress-relieving ties between the main diagonals. Only a handful of bridges of this type remain open to traffic nationwide. The structure is largely unchanged, though decorative lights were removed in the 1950s and curbs and chain-link fences were added for safety. It rests on a single concrete pier in mid-river and has survived at least five major floods. It was the first steel structure over the river. Beyond its engineering, the bridge brought tourists to local resorts and became a focus of summer events, including swimming meets and wine barrel races at a temporary dam below it. It is listed locally for its engineering and its role in transportation and regional development.
Significance in brief: It is a rare surviving example of a Pennsylvania through-truss, a design that is fast disappearing from the American landscape, and it illustrates the evolution of steel truss bridge building. It also marks the growth of the Northern California highway system and the development of the Russian River area as a tourist destination. The Keeper's review lists significance under Criterion A and Criterion C in Engineering and Transportation.
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 11000214, listed April 14, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Healdsburg Ave, junction of Front St, Healdsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | April 14, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000214 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | Architecture 1921; Transportation 1921-1960 |
| Architect / builder | J.C. Lewis, architect; American Bridge Co., builder |
| Architectural style | Other: Pennsylvania through-truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a two-lane road bridge carrying about 7,400 vehicles a day, with pedestrian and bicycle paths on the outer sides; largely unmodified since construction. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 38.60395, -122.86071 (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 11000214.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12059746
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.