London Bridge (Lake Havasu City)

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London Bridge in Lake Havasu City

The sign on London Bridge, Lake Havasu City, during April 2005

The London Bridge, currently located in Lake Havasu City, Arizona was originally constructed in London, England in 1831. By 1962, the bridge was not structurally sound enough to support the increased load created by the level of modern traffic crossing it and it was sold by the City of London.

The purchaser, Robert McCulloch, was the founder of Lake Havasu and the chairman of McCulloch Oil Corporation. The bridge was carefully disassembled and each piece was numbered. It was shipped to its present location and re-assembly began in 1968. The reconstruction took slightly over three years and was completed in late 1971. It currently serves as a popular tourist attraction for the city.

It is a popular rumour that the bridge was bought in the belief that it was, in fact, London's more recognisable Tower Bridge [1][2][3], but this has been debunked by Ivan Luckin, who sold the bridge. [4]

Recent years have seen a large amount of development in the area of the Bridge to increase tourist interest, though much of the development has been met with criticism by local residents. The original "English Village", a quaint English-style open air mall with hedge maze and historical museum, has fallen to disrepair with sections leveled. Many compare the changes to those now seen on the American side of Niagara Falls, where ill-planned growth caused the swift decline in the desirability of the area.