![](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?posttype=photo&canonicalUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ferlita.com%2Falbums%2Flandmarks-historical-buildings%2Fcontent%2Fspring-at-ben%2F&content=http%3A%2F%2Ferlita.com%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F000%2F068%2Fben-spring%2Flarge.1542245555.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Ferlita.com%2Falbums%2Flandmarks-historical-buildings%2Fcontent%2Fspring-at-ben%2F" title="spring at Ben"%3Espring at Ben%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESpring+is+finally+in+the+air..%0A%0A%0A%0AARCHITECTURAL+INFO%3A%0A%0APlans+for+a+bridge+to+augment+the+ferries+across+the+Delaware+River+began+as+early+as+1818%2C+when+one+plan+envisioned+using+Smith%2FWindmill+Island%2C+a+narrow+island+off+the+Philadelphia+shore.+But+it+was+only+in+the+1910s+that+visions+began+to+approach+reality.%0A%0AWork+began+on+January+6%2C+1922.+At+the+peak+of+construction%2C+1%2C300+people+worked+on+the+bridge%2C+and+15+died+during+its+construction.+The+bridge+was+originally+painted+by+a+commercial+painting+company+owned+by+David+A.+Salkind%2C+of+Philadelphia%2C+which+also+painted+the+Golden+Gate+Bridge.+The+bridge+opened+to+traffic+on+July+1%2C+1926%2C+three+days+ahead+of+its+scheduled+opening+on+the+nation%E2%80%99s+150th+anniversary.+At+completion%2C+its+1%2C750-foot+%28533-meter%29+span+was+the+world%27s+longest+for+a+suspension+bridge%2C+a+distinction+it+held+until+the+opening+of+the+Ambassador+Bridge+in+1929.%0A%0AThe+name+was+changed+to+%22Benjamin+Franklin+Bridge%22+in+1955+%0A%0A%28wikipedia%29%0A%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
spring at Ben
Spring is finally in the air..
ARCHITECTURAL INFO:
Plans for a bridge to augment the ferries across the Delaware River began as early as 1818, when one plan envisioned using Smith/Windmill Island, a narrow island off the Philadelphia shore. But it was only in the 1910s that visions began to approach reality.
Work began on January 6, 1922. At the peak of construction, 1,300 people worked on the bridge, and 15 died during its construction. The bridge was originally painted by a commercial painting company owned by David A. Salkind, of Philadelphia, which also painted the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge opened to traffic on July 1, 1926, three days ahead of its scheduled opening on the nation’s 150th anniversary. At completion, its 1,750-foot (533-meter) span was the world's longest for a suspension bridge, a distinction it held until the opening of the Ambassador Bridge in 1929.
The name was changed to "Benjamin Franklin Bridge" in 1955
(wikipedia)