Bridge Day recognizes ‘importance and uniqueness’ of Louisa/Fort Gay structure

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

LOUISA — An event was held Monday to commemorate the opening of the Louisa/Fort Gay, W.Va., Bridge on June 27, 1906.

To celebrate the historic opening, several people took part in a walk across the bridge and back to the Locks. Participants met in the parking lot behind the courthouse and started walking.

Louisa Mayor Harold Slone and Fort Gay, W.Va. Mayor Joetta Hatfield proclaimed Monday as Bridge Day in both towns to recognize the “importance and uniqueness” of the Louisa/Fort Gay Bridge.

The bridge connects Kentucky and West Virginia, two rivers, the Levisa and the Tug rivers, and has three exits/entrances.

At the center of the bridge, a right turn connects to The Point Section, causing locals to enjoy giving unsuspecting visitors directions to “go to the middle of the bridge and turn right.”

The structure was originally a toll bridge. Pedestrians were charged 3 cents, those going to or from The Point Section were charged 2 cents and cars were charged. 15 cents, plus an additional 3 cents for each passenger.

The final tolls were collected on Thursday, Sept. 30, 1971, from Kentucky Gov. Louie B. Nunn and West Virginia Gov. Arch A. Moore Jr.

The bridge was also featured in “Ripley’s Believe it or Not.”

There are two other tri-bridges for vehicular traffic in the United States in addition to the Louisa-Fort Gay structure — the John B. Wheaton Memorial Causeway in Chincoteague, Va., and the Y-Bridge in Zanesville, Ohio.