The Lincoln Memorial Bridge in Vincennes was built in 1932 with around 1,600 stones with iron pins and anchors. Over the course of the bridge’s life, weather has taken its toll on the iron. According to George Rogers Clark Memorial Park Chief Ranger Joe Herron, the rod iron anchors have rusted out and deteriorated over the last 90 years because they were not installed correctly. The rusting has caused the staining of around 700 pounds of the stone. One of the anchors failed last winter, causing a stone to fall from 12 feet up. Contractors are working on removing the 6-inch-thick granite stones. During this work, the Memorial Bridge is closed to drivers and park visitors. Highway 50 will be the official detour route. The bridge itself is 100% safe to drive on. The closure is to allow contractors to easily remove the stone. The stones should be removed and the bridge should be reopened by late spring. The bridge will close again later this fall for contractors to reattach the newly restored stones with new anchors.
