Nutty Narrows Bridge

The Nutty Narrows Bridge
Carries	Squirrels
Designer	Robert Newhall and LeRoy Dahl
Design	Suspension Bridge
Total length	60 feet
Constructed by	Amos Peters
Construction end	1963[1]
Coordinates	46°08′24.5436″N 122°56′17.0514″W / 46.140151°N 122.938069833°W / 46.140151; -122.938069833Coordinates: 46°08′24.5436″N 122°56′17.0514″W / 46.140151°N 122.938069833°W / 46.140151; -122.938069833

The Nutty Narrows Bridge is a bridge dedicated to squirrels in Longview, Washington. It has the title of the "World's Narrowest Bridge" and also the "World's Narrowest Animal Crossing."^{[citation needed]} The Nutty Narrows was named by a local councilwoman after the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.^[2]

History

Before the bridge was built, squirrels had to avoid speeding traffic by running across street to eat a nutty feast at an office building and back again to a park with large trees.^[1]

On March 19, 1963, Amos Peters, after seeing many squirrels being flattened, decided to protect squirrels and give them a way to cross a busy thoroughfare without getting killed by passing cars. The original sky-bridge was built over Olympia Way near the Civic Center in downtown Longview.

A close-up of the bridge deck with sign

Designed to look like a mini-suspension bridge, the 60-foot-long (18 m) span and made of an aluminum piping covered with a retired firehose to create the roadway. The total cost for the bridge was $1000.

In 1983, Peters took down the bridge for repairs. Crosspieces were replaced and the faded sign was repainted. Upon its completion, the bridge was re-dedicated with special guests Chip 'n' Dale and Mickey Mouse from Disneyland. Also in attendance were 300 children and local dignitaries.^[3]

Upon Peters' death in 1984, a ten-foot wooden squirrel sculpture was placed near the bridge in his memory.

Today

Due to the anchor trees supporting the bridge growing old and beginning to rot, the bridge was moved 100 yards east in 2007 to its current location connecting R.A. Long Park at the Civic Center to the Longview Public Library over Louisiana Street.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "The Nutty Narrows Bridge - City of Longview". http://www.mylongview.com/living/NuttyNarrows.html. Retrieved 2 March 2010. 
2. ^ "Kelso / Longview Washington". http://myweb.msoe.edu/~westr/longview.htm. Retrieved 2 March 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Nutty Narrows Bridge opens in Longview on March 19, 1963.". 16 August 2007. http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8264. Retrieved 2 March 2010.