From the November 18, 2013, Hampton Roads (Va.) Daily Press "When it opened on Nov. 17, 1928, the James River Bridge ranked as the world's largest" by Mark St. John Erickson.
Mr. Ericcson writes a lot about history. His articles on the War of 1812 in the Hampton Roads/Norfolk area of Virginia provide very interesting reading.
Eighty-five years ago this week, the five-mile long James River Bridge became the first fixed-link facility across Hampton Roads and an important part of the national north-south Atlantic Coast Highway or Ocean Highway.
Some 30,000 attended the formal dedication November 17 and a two-mile long "Monster Parade" pyrotechnic recreation of the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack was part of the ceremony. The giant lift span was activated by President Calvin Coolidge by electrical connection from the White House.
It cost $7 million and included bridges over the Nansemond River and Chuckatuck Creek.
All that remains of the bridge today is a fishing bridge on the Newport News side of the James River.
Grand Old Bridge. --Cooter
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