Historic bridge over the Charles River, connecting the city of Cambridge and Boston. Red Line Subway runs down the center with a lane of traffic on both sides. Named for Massachusetts native son, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Often called the "salt and pepper" bridge by local residents because of the appearance of the four central towers. I used to ride over this bridge every day as a college student. It's a beautiful structure in need of much repair. The bridge was begun in 1900 and completed in 1906. The total length of the bridge is 1,768 feet (539 m). Longfellow Bridge was originally known as the Cambridge Bridge, but was renamed in 1927 by the Massachusetts General Court for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who wrote about the West Boston Bridge in the poem "The Bridge", in 1845. Its four large piers are ornamented with the prows of Viking ships, carved in granite, which refer to a hypothetical voyage by Leif Eriksson up the Charles River circa 1000 AD, as promoted by Harvard professor Eben Horsford. It is also decorated with the city seals of Boston and Cambridge. #Arch_Bridge #Boston #Bridge #Cambridge #Charles_River #Iron_Arch_Bridge #Longfellow_Bridge
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