Old St. Charles Bridge

I remember my friend and I riding our bikes out to the st. louis side of the bridge in January, 1964? to see the ice covered Missouri river. We walked out to the first pylon that is entirely in the water. The river was only partially frozen and I remember seeing cracks in the ice. I didn't even know how to swim, not that it would have mattered. Every time I looked at that bridge when there was no ice, I cant believe that we walked out that far. We were daredevils, but this was plain dumb.

From the news paper November 4, 1997

ST. CHARLES

Bridge blasting is delayed one day

Bridge demolition fans will have to wait until Wednesday to see the third truss section of the Old Highway 115 Bridge go down.

The Missouri Department of Transportation on Monday postponed Tuesday's scheduled blast because of bad weather. Now the demolition will take place at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. The final blasting of the final truss section will take place on Nov. 10.

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I heard they had all sorts of problems with the demolition, but I have no facts or stories directly from the engineers that dismantled it. Apparently was built to last.

I'd rather have this back & delete the hideous casino down the street. Replacing our riverboats with the ugliest architecture around was not a good idea...

I drove across this bridge every workday, back in the early 1980's, to Earth City. The curve on the St. Charles side was a white-knuckled experience. There were so many scrapes along the rail where other drivers had gotten way too close.

One day on the commute home from work, traffic came to an abrupt stop. I was in the middle of the bridge at the time. As I sat there in my car I felt a bouncing movement happening. I looked over at the walkway and saw a dog prancing along. You could actually feel the bridge bounce a bit with every step the dog took.

The St. Charles riverfront was a favorite hangout. One evening while sitting there I saw a chunk of concrete fall from under the bridge into the river below.

After these two experiences, happening within a couple of weeks of one another, I started taking the I-70 bridge to and from work. But this old bridge was still a landmark. It was part of our town; part of who we were.

Your sight is surely missed old bridge! It is too bad times change.

I used to bike across this bridge as well.

When I was in high school we would park on the St. Charles side and walk across the little path-way--there is no way that something like this would ever be built again.

This was also a great place to bring a date.

There's absolutely nothing left of this bridge on the St. Charles side that would indicate that it ever existed. But on the other side of the river, the old approach hill to the bridge is still there (at the end of St. Charles Rock Road), along with the old roadway pavement heading up the hill. Barricades prevent driving up there, but it can certainly be walked.

Rest in peace my old friend. I too wish i had the gas money i spent traveling you. Now just like my high School sweethearts of the early eighties, gone are you, but with pleasant memories. You were narrow scary and worn in 82 when i used you the most, your rebar was showing through the concrete then. I used you until 1991 when i left St.louis, no longer do you stand in honor of the brave men of steel that shaped your being.

That was a skinny scary bridge to drive on especially the curve going onto the bridge from the St Charles side and semis were even scarier when you met one in the middle of the bridge Boy those were the days!!!!!!!

I will always remember riding my bike across the bridge and looking down at the river as kids. I really miss this bridge. I bring my little ones down where is used to stand, and it really seems empty.

Dear Old St. Charles Bridge:

Several times I hopped the fence and walked across you in the mid 1990's... in that twilight zone, so to speak... after your closure, before you were torn down....

Pretty trippy experiences... hmmm... maybe that's why someone had enscribed in white paint upon your then quiet roadway: "The Trippin' Bridge!"

Farewell... friend! :(