Last week the DuSable Bridge in Chicago reached a significant birthday: 100! Originally called the Michigan Avenue Bridge, the steel bridge opened in 1920 with a cannon salute and ushered in a new era of development on the Chicago River's north side.
"South Michigan Avenue was already a bustling business district," said Josh Coles, director of the Bridgehouse Museum. "North Michigan wasn’t even Michigan Avenue. It was Pine Street, it was a dirt road, full of industry and factories and breweries. When you think of the Wrigley Building or Tribune Tower, those were all built after the bridge opened. It transformed that section."
One hundred years later, the steel bridge is still in its original state and remains in working order, only needing a few coats of paint and some minor repairs over the years. Read more about the bridge here.