Brasília Postcards

Brasília is the capital of Brazil and is the only city in the world built in the 20th century to be awarded (in 1987) the status of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The city was planned and developed in 1956 with Lúcio Costa as the principal urban planner and Oscar Niemeyer as the principal architect. In 1960, it formally became Brazil's national capital. When seen from above, the city's shape resembles an airplane or a butterfly.

Brasilia Postcard 1Aerial view of the Monument Axis, TV Tower and Central Area

The Monumental Axis ("Eixo Monumental" in Portuguese) is a central avenue in Brasília's city design. The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. It's first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" ("Esplanada dos Ministérios"), as it's surrounded by ministries buildings. Many important government buildings, monuments and memorials are located on the Monumental Axis.

Brasilia Postcard 2Palacio do Planalto

The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. The architect of the Palácio do Planalto was Oscar Niemeyer, the "creator" of most of the important buildings in the new capital of Brasília. The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures. The Palace is four stories high, and has an area of 36,000 m². Four other adjacent buildings are also part of the complex.

SOURCES:UNESCO World Heritage: Brasília
Monumental Axis Wikipedia Entry
Palácio do Planalto Wikipedia Entry

Great Blue Hole, Belize Barrier Reef Postcard

The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize. The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300 km (185 miles) section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. It totals 960 km² (370 miles²) in area, including the Great Blue Hole. Because of its exceptional natural beauty, significant on-going ecological and biological processes, and it contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity (criteria VII, IX, and X), the Reserve System has been designated as a World Heritage Site since 1996.

Great Blue Hole Postcard

The Great Blue Hole is a large underwater sinkhole that lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 60 miles from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over 1,000 feet across and 400 feet deep. It was formed as a limestone cave system during the last ice age when sea levels were much lower. As the ocean began to rise again the caves flooded, and the roof collapsed.

SOURCES: Belize Barrier Reef Wikipedia Entry
Great Blue Hole Wikipedia Entry

The Grand Palace, Brussels Postcards

The Grote Markt (Dutch) or Grand Place (French) is the central market square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guild houses, the city's Town Hall and the Bread House (Dutch: Broodhuis, French: Maison du Roi). The Grand Place was named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998.

The Grand Palace Postcard

The Grand Place was first laid out after the construction of the town hall, at the centre of the city's commercial district. Neighboring streets still reflect the area's origins, named after the sellers of butter, cheese, herring, coal and so on. The original Grand Place was a medley of buildings constructed between the 15th and 17th centuries in a variety of styles.

Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) Postcard

The Town Hall (French: Hôtel de Ville, Dutch: Stadhuis) was constructed between 1402 and 1455. The original architect was probably Jacob van Thienen. The 96-meter-high tower in Brabantine Gothic style emerged from the plans of Jan van Ruysbroek, the court architect of Philip the Good. Atop the spire stands a 5-meter-high gilt metal statue of the archangel Michael, patron saint of Brussels, slaying a dragon or devil. The tower, its front archway and the main building facade are conspicuously off-center relative to one another. According to legend, the architect upon discovering this "error" leapt to his death from the tower. The facade is decorated with numerous statues representing nobles, saints, and allegorical figures.

Bread House (Maison du Roi) Postcard

In the 13th century the predecessor of the Bread House was a wooden building where bakers sold their bread in a covered market. Its Dutch name Broodhuis recalls this function. It was replaced in the 15th century by a stone building for the administration of the duke of Brabant. When the duchy fell to the Habsburgs, the Maison du Duc (Duke's house) became the Maison du Roi (King's house), the latter being the current French name of the building. Charles V rebuilt the building in a late Gothic style during his reign in the 16th century, similar to its appearance today. In 1873, the city entrusted architect Victor Jamaer to restore the battered structure in neo-gothic style.

SOURCES:Grand Place Wikipedia Entry
Brussels Town Hall Wikipedia Entry

Qal'at al-Bahrain Postcard

After my bridges collection, it is time for me to show my UNESCO postcards. Actually this was the first "topic" I had when I began collecting. Some of my cards were YG prizes or were bought in thrift shops.

Qal`at al-Bahrain is an archaeological site located in Bahrain. It is composed of an artificial mound created by human inhabitants from 2300 BC up to the 1700's. Among other things, it was once the capital of the Dilmun civilization, and served more recently as a Portuguese fort. For these reasons, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Qal'at al-Bahrain Postcard

Qal`at al-Bahrain is a typical tell – an artificial mound created by many successive layers of human occupation. The strata of the 300x600-metre tell testify to continuous human presence from about 2300 B.C. to the 16th century A.D. About 25% of the site has been excavated revealing structures of different types: residential, public, commercial, religious and military. They testify to the importance of the site as a trading port over the centuries.

On the top of the 12m high mound, there is the impressive Qal`at al-Burtughal (Portuguese fort), which gave the whole site its name, qal`a, meaning fort. The site was the capital of the Dilmun, one of the most important ancient civilizations of the region. It contains the richest remains inventoried of this civilization, which was hitherto only known from written Sumerian references.

SOURCE:Qal`at al-Bahrain Wikipedia Entry

Patapat Viaduct Postcard

The Patapat Viaduct is elevated 31 meters over sea level and 1.3 km concrete coastal bridge connecting Maharlika Highway to the Cagayan Valley Region that was constructed along winding/rocky headlands near the northernmost roadway section in Ilocos Norte. According to the locals, it was actually built with the help of Koreans. This viaduct was constructed to solve the problem of landslides in the area which have caused so many vehicular accidents in the past.

Patapat Viaduct Postcard

I have passed thru this viaduct four times already, and I always enjoy the view of the ocean below and the mountains! Picture perfect!!!

Me and the Viaduct

Built on the slope of a mountain, the Patapat Viaduct provides an unobscured view of the South China Sea. The bridge is often referred to as the French Riviera of the North. While at the middle of the bridge you can take a look at the awesome view of the sea below and the verdant mountains at the other side. Footed on the rocky seashore just several meters from the mountain side it gives motorists a spectacular view of Pasaleng Bay.

Quirino Bridge Postcards

Quirino Bridge, otherwise referred to as ‘Banaoang bridge’, is named after the late former President Elpidio Qurino who was the sixth president of the Philippines, born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur on November 16, 1890. There is no information on when the bridge was built nor its stats, but apparently it was already there as early as the Second World War (maybe during the American Era?) and it even survived the bombings of the war.

Quirino Bridge Postcard 1

The bridge spreads across the Abra river connecting the rocky mountain slopes of the townof Santa and the tail end of Bantay. It majestically connects and separates two transcending mountains and widely praised because of its marvelous engineering and grand architectural design as glorified by its splendid panoramic beauty, strength and durability.

Quirino Bridge Postcard 2

The bridge was destroyed and damaged when one of its steel spans was washed away at the height of super typhoon Feria that devastated the province on July 4-6, 2001. You can notice that the third span on the second postcard is quite different from the first postcard.
Now there is a construction of a new bridge that started west of the river, to be opened by 2010. After that, Quirino bridge will probably be torn down.

SOURCES:
Bantay, Ilocos Sur Tourism: Quirino Bridge

Mactan-Mandaue Bridge Postcards

Mactan-Mandaue Bridge or popularly called The First Mactan-Mandaue Bridge is the first of two bridges spanning across the Mactan Channel and connecting the islands of Cebu and Mactan. (The image on the upper right is the Marcelo Fernan Bridge or the Second Mactan-Mandaue Bridge.)

Mactan-Mandaue Bridge Postcard 1

The 846-meter long and 9-meter wide box truss bridge was constructed during the term of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. The construction begun in 1970, a year after the declaration of Mandaue as a chartered city. It was inaugurated in July 4, 1971. Finished in 1972 at a cost of 65 million pesos. The bridge was designed and created wholly by Filipino engineers.

Mactan-Mandaue Bridge Postcard 2

The old Mactan-Mandaue bridge which provided the first land transportation link between Mactan Island and the Cebu mainland. When this bridge was not yet existent, the only means of travel between Mactan and the mainland was by boat. At that time, mass transport was by ferry operated by the Ouano family of Mandaue City, using decomissioned LCTs (landing craft transport) of World War II vintage. The approach of this bridge from the mainland side is along A. Cortes Avenue, Mandaue City. The bridge terminates at barangay Pusok, Lapulapu City near the boundary with the Poblacion (city proper).

Mactan-Mandaue Bridge Postcard 3

SOURCE:
Mactan-Mandaue Bridge Wikipedia Entry
Old Mactan-Mandaue Bridge

Anda Bridge Postcard

I found little information about the bridge on the postcard. I couldn't even find relevant stats of it, unlike the bridge in the US (like the BridgeHunter site). But here is a background of the town and the need for the bridge.

Anda Bridge Postcard

The town of Anda in Pangasinan is the only island town of the Province of Pangasinan and located at the western tip of Lingayen Gulf. It is known in the old Philippine map as Cabarruyan Island. Before Anda bridge was built, one has to wait for the landing barge to cross the Catubig Channel separating Anda to mainland Bolinao.

The Anda Bridge, located at Garrita, Mal-ong, Anda in Pangasinan, was sponsored and inaugurated by then President Fidel V. Ramos, who hails from Pangasinan province. This bridge has 9 spans and almost a kilometer in distance.

SOURCE:
Municipal Government of Anda
Let's Explore Anda, Pangasinan

San Juanico Bridge Postcards

The San Juanico Bridge, formerly the Marcos Bridge, is a bridge in the Philippines stretching from Samar to Leyte crossing the San Juanico Strait. Connecting Tacloban City on the Leyte side and Santa Rita town on the Samar side, it offers many picturesque views, especially of the San Juanico Strait with its thousand whirlpools as well as the islets of the province.

San Juanico Bridge Postcard 1

Designed by engineer Arvin Valderrama with the help of engineer Christian Meynard Baral, it is the longest bridge in the South East Asia with a length of 2.16 kilometers and is considered one of the most beautifully-designed bridges in Philippines. It is said to have been presented as a gift and "Testimonial of Love" by the Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos to the first lady, Imelda, a native of Leyte.

San Juanico Bridge Postcard 2

The bridge is supported by 43 spans rising 41 meters above the sea. It has a large arch beneath which allows boats to pass. Construction on the 21.9 million-dollar bridge began in 1969 and was completed in 1973, during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. The Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (now the Philippine National Construction Corporation) was contracted to construct the actual bridge, and together with Japanese engineers, conducted studies and designed the actual project.
Longest span 1,377 meters (4,518 feet)Total length 2,200 meters (7,216 feet)

San Juanico Bridge Postcard 3

SOURCE:
San Juanico Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Tower Bridge Postcard

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name. Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge, which is actually the next bridge upstream.

Tower Bridge Postcard

Construction started in 1886 and took eight years with five major contractors – Sir John Jackson (foundations), Baron Armstrong (hydraulics), William Webster, Sir H.H. Bartlett, and Sir William Arrol & Co. – and employed 432 construction workers. E W Crutwell was the resident engineer for the construction. The bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark.

Me on the bridge

Design: Bascule bridge, suspension bridgeLongest span: 61 m (200 ft)Total length: 244 m (800 ft)Clearance below: 8.6 m (closed), 42.5 m (open)Total cost of construction: £1,184,000

SOURCE:
Tower Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Jade Belt Bridge Postcard

The Jade Belt Bridge, also known as the Camel's Back Bridge, is an 18th century pedestrian Moon bridge located in the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. It is famous for its tall thin single arch.

Jade Belt Bridge Postcard

The Jade Belt Bridge is the most well-known of the six bridges on the western shore of Kunming Lake. It was erected in the years 1751 to 1764, during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. It is made from marble and other white stone. The bridge railings are decorated with carvings of cranes. The clearance of the arch was chosen to accommodate the dragon boat of the Qianlong Emperor.

SOURCE:
Jade Belt Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Holliwell Bridge Postcard

Built in 1880 by Benton Jones, Holliwell Bridge is the longest covered bridge, measuring 122 feet. It remains in its original site over the Middle River southeast of Winterset. Holliwell was renovated in 1995 at a cost of $225,000. It is featured in The Bridges of Madison County movie.

Holliwell Bridge Postcard(PH Prize from Amatullah)

SOURCE:
The Covered Bridges of Madison County: Holliwell Bridge

Roseman Bridge, IA Postcard

Built in 1883 by Benton Jones, the Roseman Bridge is 107 feet in length and sits in its original location. Also known as the “haunted” bridge, Roseman is where two sheriff’s posses trapped a county jail escapee in 1892. Uttering a wild cry, it is said the man rose up straight through the roof of the bridge and disappeared. He was never found, and it was decided that anyone capable of such a feat must be innocent.

Roseman Bridge Postcard(PH Wish from Laura Guhse)

Roseman Bridge, known as the "Wedding Bridge, was renovated in 1992 at a cost of $152,515. In Robert James Waller's novel The Bridges of Madison County and the movie of the same name, Roseman is the bridge Robert Kincaid seeks when he stops at Francesca Johnson's for directions; it is also where Francesca leaves her note inviting him to dinner.

SOURCE:The Covered Bridges of Madison County: Roseman Bridge

Anthony Wayne Bridge, OH Postcard

The Anthony Wayne Bridge was named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, a military man with a ton of influence in the Maumee River valley (from Fort Wayne, IN downstream to Toledo, OH). The Anthony Wayne Bridge was built upstream of the former Cherry Street Bridge and opened to traffic in 1931. The $3 million suspension bridge is 3,215 feet long including approaches and raises 104 feet above the water at its midpoint.

Anthony Wayne Bridge Postcard
(PH Wish from Sarah Konichek)

The towers feature various lattice patterns, and some of the structural steel on them is itself latticed. The top and bottom horizontal parts to the towers above the road have a slight arch curve to them. The suspender cables for this bridge extend down from the main cable in sets of two. The bridge features Warren deck truss approaches. These approach spans feature riveted connections, and v-lacing/lattice. Overview: Suspension bridge over Maumee River on OH 2 in Toledo
History: Built 1931 by the McClintic-Marshall Co.; rehabilitated 1961Builder: McClintic-Marshall Co. of Chicago, IllinoisDesign: Wire suspensionLength of largest span: 785.1 ft.Total length: 3,215.1 ft.Deck Width: 60 FeetRoadway Width: 54 FeetApproach Spans: 25

SOURCE:Historic Bridges: Anthony Wayne Bridge

Ambassador Bridge Postcard

The Ambassador Bridge is a privately owned suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. The bridge is owned by the Detroit International Bridge Co., which is controlled by Grosse Pointe billionaire Manuel "Matty" Moroun. Construction began in 1927 and was completed in 1929. The architect was the McClintic-Marshall Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Ambassador Bridge Postcard
(PH Wish from Sarah Konichek)

The bridge, over the Detroit River, had the longest suspended central span in the world when it was completed in 1929 — 1,850 feet (564 m). The total bridge length is 7,500 feet (2,286 m). The bridge is styled in a mixture of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne architectural designs, with some Gothic architecture blended in. It is made primarily out of steel; however, the two main towers on each side of the river are made of a steel-silicon alloy which rise up from concrete piers. The towers rise 386 feet (118 m) above the river, and plunge 115 feet (35 m) below the surface of the Detroit River. The bridge is made up of 21,000 tons of steel, and the roadway rises as high as 152 feet (46 m) above the Detroit River.

Design: Suspension bridgeLongest span: 1,850 feet (564 m)Total length: 7,500 feet (2,286 m)Clearance below: 152 feet (46 m)

SOURCE:Ambassador Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Blue Water Bridge Postcard

The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span bridge that spans the St. Clair River between Port Huron, Michigan and Point Edward, Ontario (near Sarnia, Ontario). The Blue Water Bridge connects with Highway 402 in Ontario and with both Interstate 69 and Interstate 94 in Michigan. The original span is a cantilever truss bridge and the second span is a continuous tied arch bridge.

Blue Water Bridge Postcard(PH Wish from Sarah Konichek)

The first bridge is a cantilever truss with a total length of 6,178 feet (1,883 m). The main span is 871 feet (265 m). The second bridge is a continuous tied arch with a total length of 6,109 feet (1,862 m). The main span is 922 feet (281 m). The twinning project was a combined effort between Modjeski & Masters - U.S Engineers and Buckland & Taylor Ltd. - Canadian Engineers.

The first bridge was opened to traffic on October 10, 1938. The lead engineer was Ralph Modjeski. A second three-lane bridge, just south of the first bridge, opened on July 22, 1997. The continuous-tied arch design, which was a distant third place in polls, was chosen for two reasons. One was that it blends in with the original span yet stands out on its own, and the other is lower maintenance costs because fewer spans are involved.

Design: Cantilever truss (westbound), Continuous tied arch (eastbound)
Longest span: 871 feet (265 m) (westbound), 922 feet (281 m) (eastbound)
Total length: 6,178 feet (1,883 m) (westbound), 6,109 feet (1,862 m) (eastbound)
Width: 38 feet (12 m) (westbound), 51 feet (16 m) (eastbound)
Height: 210 feet (64 m) (westbound), 233 feet (71 m) (eastbound)
Clearance below: 152 feet (46 m) (westbound), 155 feet (47 m) (eastbound)

SOURCE:Blue Water Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Hoffstadt Creek Bridge, WA Postcard

The Hoffstadt Creek bridge is the longest of 14 along the new Spirit Lake Memorial Highway (the western approach to Mt. St. Helens). The bridge's total length is 2340 feet, and is 370 feet above Hoffstadt Creek. The main span is 600 feet long and 370 feet above the stream bed. A series of piers support three sections of steel truss (clearly seen in these views), as well as four sections of steel plate girders at the bridge's eastern end.

Hoffstadt Creek Bridge Postcard
(PH Wish from Janet Durfee)

Overview: Deck truss bridge over Hoffstadt Creek on WA 504
Location: Cowlitz County, Washington
Built: 1987 - 1994
Design: Deck truss
Length of largest span: 600.1 ft.
Total length: 2,340.0 ft.
Deck width: 32.2 ft.

SOURCES:
Hoffstadt Creek Bridge
Spirit Lake Memorial Highway

Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, FL Postcard

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, spanning Florida's Tampa Bay, is the world's longest bridge with a cable-stayed main span, with a length of 29,040 feet (exactly 5.5 miles or approximately 8.85 km). Construction of the current bridge began in 1982, and the completed bridge was dedicated on February 7, 1987. The new bridge cost $244 million to build, and was opened to traffic on April 20, 1987. In November 2005, an act of Florida Legislature officially named the current bridge the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, after the Governor of Florida who presided over its design and most of its construction.

Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge Postcard
(PH Wish from Linda Jenkins)

The bridge is constructed of steel and concrete. Twenty-one steel cables clad in nine-inch steel tubes along the center line of the bridge support the structure. It was designed by the Figg & Muller Engineering Group, and built by the American Bridge Company.
The present bridge replaces a steel cantilever bridge. The original two-lane bridge was completed in 1954, with a similar structure built parallel to it in 1969 to make it a four-lane bridge and bring it to Interstate standards. The remaining approaches to the old cantilever bridge remain in use as Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.

Design: Continuous pre-stressed concrete cable-stayed bridge
Longest span: 365.8 meters (1200 feet)
Total length: 8851.392 meters (5.5 miles)
Width: 28.7 meters (94 feet)
Vertical clearance: 58.8 meters (193 feet)
Clearance below: 53.3 meters (175 feet)

The southbound span of the original bridge (the one built in 1969) was destroyed on May 9, 1980, when the freighter MV Summit Venture collided with a pier (support column) during a storm, sending over 1200 feet (366m) of the bridge plummeting into Tampa Bay. The collision caused six automobiles and a Greyhound bus to fall 150 feet (46 m), killing 35 people.
In 1990 the Florida Department of Transportation awarded the winning bid to the Hardaway Company to demolish all steel and concrete sections of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The scope of the project required that all underwater piles and piers, and surface roadway, girders, and beams be dismantled.

SOURCE:Sunshine Skyway Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Benjamin Franklin Bridge Postcard

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge (also known as the Ben Franklin Bridge), originally named the Delaware River Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey. It was named for American statesman Benjamin Franklin.

Benjamin Franklin Bridge Postcard
(PH Wish from Linda Jenkins)

The chief engineer was Polish-born Ralph Modjeski, its design engineer was Leon Moisseiff, and the supervising architect was Paul Philippe Cret. Physical construction of the Delaware River Bridge began on January 6, 1922. At its completion on July 1, 1926, its 533-metre span made it the world's longest suspension bridge span, a distinction it would hold until the opening of the Ambassador Bridge in 1929.

Design: steel suspension bridgeLongest span: 533.4 meters (1,750 feet)Total length: 2,917.86 meters (9,573 feet)Width: 39.01 meters (128 feet)Vertical clearance: 5.12 meters (16.8 feet)Clearance below: 41.19 meters (135 feet)

SOURCE:
Benjamin Franklin Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Brooklyn Bridge, NY Postcard

The next postcard is the night view of Brooklyn Bridge with the Twin Towers still standing in the background.

The Brooklyn Bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, stretches 5,989 feet (1825 m) over the East River connecting the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. On completion, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world and the first steel-wire suspension bridge. Originally referred to as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, it was dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge in an 1867 letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and formally so named by the city government in 1915.

Brooklyn Bridge Postcard
(Trade with Barbara Sussman)

The bridge was designed by German-born John Augustus Roebling in Trenton, New Jersey. Washington Roebling became assistant engineer on the Brooklyn Bridge, and rose to chief engineer after John Roebling's death in mid-1869. He made several important improvements on the bridge design and further developed bridge building techniques. Construction began in January 3, 1870. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed thirteen years later and was opened for use on May 24, 1883. The towers are built of limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement. Their architectural style is Gothic, with characteristic pointed arches above the passageways through the stone towers.

Design: Suspension/Cable-stay Hybrid

Longest span: 1,595 feet 6 inches (486.3 m)Total length: 5,989 feet (1825 m)Width: 85 feet (26 m)Clearance below: 135 feet (41 m) at mid-span

SOURCE:
Brooklyn Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Robert Moses Causeway Postcard

The Robert Moses Causeway is an 8.10-mile (13.04 km) long parkway in Suffolk County, New York. The parkway, originally known as the Captree Causeway, connects West Islip on Long Island to the barrier beach islands, such as Captree Island, Jones Beach Island, and the western tip of Fire Island, to the south. Robert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, New York.

Robert Moses Causeway Postcard
(Trade with Barbara Sussman)

The Robert Moses Causeway begins at the Southern Parkway as a short parkway with four lanes. It runs to the south past Sunrise Highway (NY 27) and Montauk Highway (NY 27A) and then goes over a long bridge over Great South Bay to Captree Island. It then goes over a short drawbridge. On the other side, there is an exit for the Ocean Parkway and Captree State Park. After this exit, the road narrows down to two lanes. It goes over a final bridge to Robert Moses State Park on Fire Island, where it ends.

The first section of the Robert Moses Causeway, between the Southern State Parkway and EXIT RM2 (NY 27A / Montauk Highway) in West Islip, was completed in 1953. The first causeway bridge, which had one northbound and one southbound lane, was opened to traffic in April 1954. The final link of the Robert Moses Causeway opened in 1964.

SOURCES:
Robert Moses Causeway Wikipedia Entry
Robert Moses Causeway

Springfield Memorial Bridge Postcard

The Memorial Bridge is a reinforced-concrete arch bridge that spans the Connecticut River between Springfield, Massachusetts and West Springfield, Massachusetts. The Connecticut River was first bridged at Springfield in 1805, by an open wooden bridge said to have been "mongrel in style." This collapsed in 1814 and was replaced by a covered wooden Burr arch-truss bridge built by Isaac Damon of Northampton.

Springfield Memorial Bridge Postcard
(Trade with Barbara Sussman)

In 1915, the Hampden County Commissioners opened hearings to discuss construction of a new bridge, but it wasn't until the winter of 1918/19 that the location and overall design of the present concrete arch bridge were finally agreed upon. The bridge was built in 1922 by H.P. Converse & Co. (at $3,254,883) and was designed by Fay Spofford & Thorndike, with Haven & Hoyt, architects. The completed bridge was opened to traffic on August 3, 1922. When the bridge was refurbished in 1992, Fay Spofford & Thorndike was again involved.

The four plaques on the central towers honor the original colonists, and veterans of the American Revolutionary War, American Civil War, and World War I.

Design : reinforced-concrete arch bridgeLongest span : 209 ft (63.7 m)Total length : 1515 ft (461.8 m)Width 82.5 ft: (25.1 m)

SOURCE:Memorial Bridge, Massachusetts Highway Department

Porter's Bluff Bridge Postcard

Unfortunately the postcard does not mention the name of the bridge, so I had hard time researching information about it. Thanks to Historic Bridges of the US website, I was able to find a similar bridge, if not exact, in the White River area. The name I found is Porter's Bluff Bridge. The two images have the same span design (if that's what you call it), so I concluded they must be the same bridge!

Porter's Bluff Bridge Postcard
(PH Wish from Janet Durfee)

Overview: Lost through truss over White River (now Beaver Lake) on AR 12 east of Rogers
Location: Benton County, Arkansas
Status: Replaced by a modern bridge in conjunction with the creation of Beaver Lake
History: Built 1904; replaced 1963
Design: Main span: Pin-connected, 11-panel Parker through truss

Porter's Bluff Bridge (BridgeHunter)

SOURCE:
Historic Bridges of the US: Porter's Bluff Bridge (text and image)

Mackinac Bridge Postcards

The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Designed by engineer David B. Steinman, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") connects the city of St. Ignace on the north end with the village of Mackinaw City on the south. The bridge opened on November 1, 1957. It opened to traffic on schedule on November 1, 1957, and was formally dedicated on June 25, 1958.

Mackinac Bridge Postcard 1
(PH Wish from Karen Brzezinski)

The Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge with two towers between anchorages (8,614 feet) (2,626 m) in the Western Hemisphere. The length of the bridge's main span is 3,800 feet (1,158 m), which makes it the third-longest suspension span in the United States and twelfth longest worldwide.
The bridge is painted foliage green and ivory white, and at night bluish vapor lamps light up the roadway while maize-colored spotlights shine on the main towers.

Mackinac Bridge Postcard 2
(PH Wish from Janet Durfee)

Design: Suspension bridgeLongest span: 3,800 feet (1,158 m)Total length: 26,372 feet (8,038 m)Width: 68 feet (20.7 m)Height: 522 feet (159 m)Vertical clearance: 200 feet (61 m)Clearance below: 155 feet (47 m)Construction cost: $99.8 million (1957 USD; adjusted for inflation, approximately $732 million, 2007 USD)

SOURCE:
Mackinac Bridge Wikipedia Entry

Golden Gate Bridge Postcards

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay onto the Pacific Ocean. As part of both US Highway 101 and State Route 1, it connects the city of San Francisco on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula to Marin County.

Golden Gate Bridge Postcard 1

Construction began on 5 January 1933. The project cost over $26 million. The project was finished by April 1937, $1.3 million under budget. The Golden Gate Bridge had the longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed in 1937 and has become an internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco and California. Since its completion, the span length has been surpassed by eight other bridges. It still has the second longest suspension bridge main span in the United States, after the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York City.

Golden Gate Bridge Postcard 2(PH Wish from Janet Durfee)

The bridge has approximately 1,200,000 total rivets. Despite its red appearance, the color of the bridge is officially an orange vermilion called international orange. The color was selected by consulting architect Irving Morrow because it blends well with the natural surroundings yet enhances the bridge's visibility in fog.

The Golden Gate Bridge has a similar sister bridge in Lisbon, Portugal. The red-painted Ponte 25 de Abril (25th April Bridge) is 2,278 m (7,470 ft) spans 1,013 m (3,320 ft).

Design: Suspension, truss arch & truss causewaysLongest span: 4,200 feet (1,280 m)Total length: 8,981 feet (2,737 m)Width: 90 feet (27 m)Height: 746 feet (227 m)Vertical clearance: 14 feet (4.3 m) at toll gates, higher truck loads possibleClearance below: 220 feet (67 m) at mean higher high water

SOURCE:Golden Gate Bridge Wikipedia Entry

US Highway 65 Crossing Postcard

View from the Baptist Hill Lake Taneycomo, U.S. Highway No. 65 Crossing

"In the beautiful Ozarks, land of a million smiles"

At first I wasn't sure if the name of the bridge is actually US Highway 65 Crossing. But after trying different search strings, I found that it is actually called "Lake Taneycomo Bridge" and also found relevant information and images of the bridge. This postcard was also postmarked in November of 1948 from Missouri to Manila.

Lake Taneycomo Bridge Postcard

Information about Lake Taneycomo Bridge:

Lake Taneycomo Bridge is a five-span open-spandrel arch bridge over Lake Taneycomo (White River) on MO 76/Business US 65 at Branson located in Taney County, Missouri. The bridge was built in 1931 by Fred Luttjohann, replacing an earlier truss bridge. The builder is Fred Luttjohann of Topeka, Kansas.
Dimensions:
Length of largest span: 194.8 ft.
Total length: 1,086.7 ft.
Deck width: 20.0 ft.

I also found out that they are adding a new two-lane bridge right beside the old two-lane bridge. The bridge will remain in use to handle the the south bound traffic. The new bridge will be used for the north bound traffic.

SOURCES:Historic Bridges of the US: Lake Taneycomo Bridge

Old North Bridge, Concord, MA Postcard

Easier for me this time to gather information regarding the bridge because it is a famous one. The front of the card says:

OLD NORTH BRIDGE. Here took place about noon, April 19th, 1775, the principal engagement in Concord, the British being repulsed and retreating in great disorder. Across the bridge the statue of the "Concord Minute Man."

Old North Bridge Postcard

The North Bridge, often colloquially called the Old North Bridge, across the Concord River in Concord, Massachusetts is a historical site in the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the first battle day in the Revolutionary War. Here five full companies of Minutemen and five of non-Minuteman militia occupied this hill with groups of other men streaming in, totaling about 400 against the British light infantry companies from the 4th, 10th, and 43rd Regiments of Foot under Captain Laurie, a force totaling about 90-95 men.
The bridge whose timbers reverberated with the famous "shot heard 'round the world" was constructed in 1760; one of a series of bridges that occupied the site since the 1630's. (The first documented bridge was built ca. 1654 though it is widely held that a bridge was located at, or near, the present site shortly after 1635, the year of incorporation of the Town of Concord.) The bridge of 1760 was replaced in 1788 only to be dismantled in 1793 when the river crossing was moved upstream. From 1793 to 1874 no bridge existed at this historic site.
In 1874, construction began on a new bridge to be ready in time for the centennial celebrations of the following year. Floods destroyed this bridge in 1888. A new bridge was constructed in 1889 only to be destroyed once again by floods in 1908. In an effort to create a sturdier bridge, engineers and architects designed the next bridge in concrete using as their model the original drawings by Amos Doolittle prepared shortly after the battle in 1775. Nature once again proved more powerful and in 1955, damage from Hurricane Diane left the bridge beyond repair. The current bridge was built in 1956 by the State of Massachusetts, based on drawings of the original bridge, built in the 1760s.

At this site also stands Daniel Chester French's well-known Minute Man Statue of 1875. This famous statue by artist Daniel Chester French, among whose later works include the seated Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.,was dedicated on April 19, 1875 as part of the Centennial celebrations. The statue was cast in bronze from ten condemned cannon supplied by the United States Congress.

SOURCES:
Old North Bridge Wikipedia Entry
North Bridge Restoration Project

Capilano Suspension Bridge Postcard

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is 136 metres long and 70 metres above the river.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Postcard

In 1888, George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and land developer, arrived in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Mackay purchased 24 square kilometres of dense forest on either side of Capilano River and built a cabin on the very edge of the canyon wall. Assisted by two local natives and a team of horses, Mackay suspended a hemp rope and cedar plank bridge across the river. Natives called it the "laughing bridge" because of the noise it made when wind blew through the canyon. After his death, the hemp rope bridge was replaced by a wire cable bridge in 1903.
In 1910 Edward Mahon purchased the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Unsure of the bridge's strength, Mahon reinforced it with additional cables in 1914. In 1953 Rae Mitchell purchased the bridge property from Henri Aubeneau. Unsure of the 1914 cable strength, he completely rebuilt the bridge in 5 days in 1956, encasing the cables in 11.8 tonnes of concrete at either end.

SOURCE:
Capilano Suspension Bridge

Mainz Eisenbahnbrucke Postcard

I am now done with the map postcards in my collection. Next to be shown are my bridge postcards, mostly given as Postcard Heaven wishes.

This is my third German old bridge postcard. But I was luckier this time because I was able to find information about the bridge (German Wikipedia), and the current picture of the bridge. I'd prefer the old bridge. Too bad it was destroyed during WWII.

Mainz-Gustavsburger Eisenbahnbrücke Postcard

The Mainz South Bridge (also called Mainz-Gustavsburger Eisenbahnbrücke or Mainz-Gustav Local Railway Bridge) was built from 1860 - 1862, and combines part of the Rhine-Main railway and the main railway Mainz with Gustav's castle.

The original bridge had four major lens makers, including Pauli carrier (after the engineer Friedrich August von Pauli), followed by a long right-flood bridge with 31 other fields of views. Both bridge-heads was built with bridge towers that would defend the bridge in case of a war.
Basic Data
Location: Mainz-old town - Ginsheim-Gustavsburg
Use: Eisenbahnbrücke (Railway Bridge)
Construction: 1860 - 1862
Architect: Gottfried Heinrich Gerber
Construction: Pauli makers (including lens makers)
Destruction: 1945
Reconstruction: 1948-1949

Technical Data
Length: 1028 m
Width: 12.6 m
Height: 9 m
Building materials: Steel, stone
Spans: 106.6 - 105.6 - 105.6 - 106.6 m.
The South Bridge was destroyed during the Second World War. The bridge with two adjacent K-steel truss beams, each 12 m high and 424 metres long on common pillars, was rebuilt. Today there are only the western bridge towers.

Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Map Postcard

I know that this is a map of a fictional land. Those who are familiar or a big fan (like me) of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings would know Middle Earth. I tried to check the original map of the postcard, but wasn't able to find it, but am sure that this postcard is a reproduction of Tolkien's map that could have been published with his work.

Middle Earth Map Postcard

Middle-earth refers to the fictional lands where most of the stories of author J. R. R. Tolkien take place. In the Second and Third Ages the Western regions of Middle-earth contain the lands of Eriador, Gondor, the Misty Mountains, and the vales of the great river Anduin. To the east of Eriador lie the Misty Mountains which run from the far north to Isengard, home of the wizard Saruman, in the south. The Misty Mountains contain the great Dwarvish hall of Khazad-dûm or Moria. Eriador also contains The Shire, homeland of the Hobbits. East of the Mountains lies the land called Rhovanion and the great river Anduin and on its western side, under the eaves of the mountains lies the Elvish kingdom of Lothlorien, home of the Elf Galadriel, and the forest of Fangorn, home of the Ents. South and East of the Misty Mountains is the kingdom of Rohan, inhabited by the allies of Gondor, and further south is the kingdom of Gondor itself, founded by those Men who escaped the destruction of the island of Númenor. East of Gondor, and surrounded by high mountains is Mordor, home of Sauron in his fortress of Barad-dûr.

SOURCE:
Middle-Earth Wikipedia Entry