Gervais Street Bridge
The first bridge at Gervais Street was a covered wooden structure built in 1827 by the Columbia Bridge Company. It remained until 1865 when Confederate soldiers burned it and other bridges to delay the
advance of Sherman's troops. Rebuilt in 1870, the bridge was privately owned until 1912 when Richland and Lexington counties bought it.
The current 1,415-foot-long bridge opened in 1927. It was considered
remarkable for its time due to its use of reinforced concrete and its status as South Carolina's widest roadway. The Gervais Street Bridge was the only bridge in Columbia spanning the Congaree River until the
Blossom Street Bridge was built in 1953.
Marker can be reached from Gervais Street (U.S. 1/378) near Gist Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
