Ever wondered what happened to the original London Bridge? The one that was built in the 1860s but then later replaced by the current one in London? Well, did you know you can visit it today and it’s in Arizona?
At first that sounds pretty crazy. I mean, why would London Bridge be in Arizona? And how could it have ended up there? Well, it’s a pretty fascinating story and an even more fascinating place to visit…especially if you’ve already been to England to see the sights of London. But if you’re interested in visiting the London Bridge in Arizona, here’s everything you need to know about its history and what to expect!
London Bridge Arizona History
So how did London Bridge end up in Lake Havasu, Arizona? This London Bridge, often called the “original London Bridge,” was built in the 1830s to cross the Thames in London, England. However, by the 1960s the bridge could not support the increased load caused by modern traffic and began sinking into the Thames. London Bridge really was falling down! So the City of London began looking for a buyer so they could sell the bridge and build a new and improved one in its place.
They found their buyer in Robert P. McCulloch who was the chairman of McCulloch Oil and the founder of Lake Havasu City. McCulloch and his real estate agent Robert Plumer believed, and rightly, that having London Bridge in Lake Havasu would be an excellent attraction and draw tourists from all over to visit…as well as drawing home buyers to invest in real estate here.
So McCulloch purchased the bridge for $2.46m (approximately £1.78m) and then worked to arrange its dismantlement and shipping from England to the United States. As the bridge was disassembled, each stone was numbered to make sure the bridge could be reassembled correctly on the other side of the pond. And then reassembly began in 1968 with the foundation stone being relaid by Sir Gilbert Inglefield, the Lord Mayor of London.
Funnily enough, the bridge was not rebuilt over a river but instead built over land and a canal was dug underneath it, creating an island on the other side of the bridge. In England, news reporters at the time declared that the bridge was “earning dollars by being built in an American desert, where they’re digging a special river to go under it. Oh well, the customer’s always right!”
It is a little bit backwards of a way to build a bridge, but you have to admit it has worked out pretty well for the city of Lake Havasu! Construction was finally completed in 1971, with the bridge rebuilt with a reinforced concrete structure inside and the original masonry exterior. And it’s been drawing tourists here ever since!
Want to know more about the London Bridge’s beginnings in Lake Havasu straight from the people who witnessed it? Check out this clip from the BBC:
Visiting London Bridge, Lake Havasu, Arizona
Today, visiting Lake Havasu is like visiting a slightly strange version of London itself. Walking around, you will see pieces of iconic London…from a red telephone booth to a miniaturized fountain with tiny lions that is reminiscent of Trafalgar Square.
Of course, with 100°+ temperatures and country music playing in the background, it quickly becomes clear that this is a decidedly Americanized version of London. But it still brings a taste of the classic London we know and love!
One other big change is that the bridge is now home to swallows (you can see their mud nests built underneath the bridge) as well as being home to bats. You can even smell the guano sometimes when you are here.
But despite these small differences, the bridge is a fascinating sight to see and an interesting historical curiosity. One of the most compelling parts of the bridge is seeing some of the marks World War II in London has left on it, from bullet holes to graffiti.
One such mark can be found near one of the set of stairs on the city side of the bridge. As you start to walk down the stairs to go below the bridge, you can stop and look to see the graffiti left by American Infantry Squad Sergeant Fitzwater of the 1st Infantry Division in 1942. While the 1st Infantry Division was visiting London during World War II, he carved his name into the London Bridge while it was still in its original position crossing the Thames.
Later, after the bridge was moved, Sergeant Fitzwater and his wife were able to visit Lake Havasu and see the graffiti for themselves, with Fitzwater remarking how strange it was that the graffiti followed him home to the US. It really is a fascinating little slice of history!
All in all, this is a fun stop on a road trip and a cool place to see. From enjoying the attractions here (you can even take a boat cruise to enjoy seeing the bridge from the water!) to experiencing the London Bridge of Winston Churchill and World War II, the London Bridge in Arizona is a captivating sight and well worth a visit.
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