Manchester & Free Bridges
By 1873, complaints about Mayo’s’ tolls led to the opening of the Free Bridge.
The day after the Free Bridge opened, thousands crowded onto it to watch the Reverend John Jasper conduct a large group-baptism ceremony in the river.
For years, the only James River crossing for pedestrians and vehicles was Mayo’s toll bridge, at 14th Street. Richmond’s first “free” bridge was built east of here in 1873. Today’s Manchester Bridge, built in 1972, includes a legally mandated free walkway.
Marker can be reached from South 7th Street near Tredegar Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
