London Bridge in Arizona

I had doubts when new friends told me to visit the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Sometimes I do fall for unlikely tales. Like the time I thought the Las Vegas blackjack dealer’s Mom really named him “Texas” (His name badge read “Texas”). And once – just once, I did go snipe hunting in Ligonier and felt disappointed that my friend caught one in a bag. (Later, I learned there are no snipes and a twisted gum band on a stick made the commotion in the bag.) Yes, I repeated “gullible” slowly numerous times to really see if I could make it sound like “fire truck”. (In my defense, how could my sweet daughter Suzie trick me? She did and belly laughed at my fruitless attempts.) So why would I believe the London Bridge is in Arizona! After all, I’d been to London in November 2008 and walked across the Thames River on the London Bridge. Now, I’m supposed to believe there’s a London Bridge in Arizona…

Truth is: The London Bridge is in Lake Havasu City. Ed and I visited the Bridge. We touched the Bridge. We walked under the Bridge. We watched the US and British flags atop the Bridge wave in the breeze. This was no joke.

The Colorado River now runs beneath the bridge that once spanned the Thames River. The London Bridge was purchased from the City of London on April 18, 1968 for $2,460,000. It took three years and more money – some $4,500,000 – to transport and rebuild the bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. On October 10, 1971, the bridge project was compete. I should not have been so skeptical.

March 19, 2009