Capitol Boulevard Memorial Bridge

The bridge is a {{convert|310|ft|m|abbr=on}} Art Deco style deck arch bridge constructed in 1931 by Morrison-Knudsen. Idaho state highway engineer Charles A. Kyle designed the bridge, which includes four {{convert|70|ft|m|abbr=on}} open spandrel arches supporting a {{convert|40|ft|m|abbr=on}} wide roadbed with four lanes of motorized traffic crossing river. Two {{convert|6|ft|m|abbr=on|sp=us}}, cantilevered sidewalks allow for pedestrian traffic.{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=90001717}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Capitol Boulevard Memorial Bridge|publisher=National Park Service|author1=John L. Bertram |author2=Elizabeth Egleston |date=June 15, 1990 |accessdate=August 27, 2018}}

Boise was established in 1863, soon after the second Fort Boise was constructed, and its location required that Oregon Trail pioneers ford the Boise River. In 1864 John McClellan and William Thompson formed the Ada Ferry Company and received a charter to operate a ferry at the crossing. McClellan and Thompson constructed a toll bridge near the site in 1868.{{cite web |title=McClellan's Ferry |url=https://parks.cityofboise.org/media/975788/McClellanFerry.pdf |accessdate=2018-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828035803/https://parks.cityofboise.org/media/975788/McClellanFerry.pdf |archive-date=2018-08-28 |url-status=dead }} The Ninth Street Bridge{{NRHP url|id=01000980}} replaced McClellan and Thompson's toll bridge in 1911.{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=01000980}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Ninth Street Bridge|publisher=National Park Service|author=Donald W. Watts |date=July 24, 2000 |accessdate=August 27, 2018}}

In 1914 architect Charles W. Wayland envisioned a grand boulevard approaching the Idaho State Capitol Building,{{cite web |title=Capitol Boulevard |url=https://sps.boisestate.edu/cihp/captitol/ |accessdate=2018-08-27}} and after the Boise Depot was built in 1925, city planners redesignated 7th Street as Capitol Boulevard, and the Capitol Boulevard Memorial Bridge was constructed and dedicated as a memorial to Oregon Trail pioneers.{{cite web |title=Capitol Memorial Bridge Built 1931 |url=https://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-and-facilities/parks/julia-davis-park/julia-davis-park-rotary-grand-plaza/capitol-memorial-bridge-built-1931/ |accessdate=2018-08-27}}

The bridge was refurbished in 1987 and restored in 2013{{cite web |title=Boise’s Signature Bridge: The Oregon Trail Memorial Bridge |url=https://www.boiseartsandhistory.org/explore/collections/research/boise-s-signature-bridge-the-oregon-trail-memorial-bridge |accessdate=2018-08-27}}{{cite web |last=Webb |first=Anna |title=Oregon Trail Memorial Bridge restoration finished |url=https://magicvalley.com/news/local/oregon-trail-memorial-bridge-restoration-finished/article_0a5d8e98-8d04-11e3-affb-0019bb2963f4.html |accessdate=2018-08-27}} and was added to the National Register of Historic Places November 5, 1990.

{{stack|{{portal|National Register of Historic Places}}}}

• List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Idaho
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ada County, Idaho

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{{commons category-inline|Capitol Boulevard Memorial Bridge}}

{{National Register of Historic Places}}

Category:Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Idaho

Category:Bridges completed in 1931

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