Linking Philadelphia to the West

Linking Philadelphia to the West. . , At one time, the only way to cross the Schuylkill was by boat or ferry. Floating bridges made of boards and barges connected with rope were built during the Revolutionary War to quickly move troops across the Schuylkill. The first permanent bridge across the Schuylkill was built at Market Street in 1805 to connect to the Lancaster Turnpike., Bridges created commercial links between Philadelphia and Western Pennsylvania. The development of free public bridges over the tidal Schuylkill also allowed the city to expand westward. Traffic on these bridges grew over the years from pedestrian and horse traffic to accommodate trolleys, trains, bikes and automobiles., [Captions:] , The Grays Ferry Bridge was decorated to celebrate George Washington's entrance to the city on the way to his first inauguration in 1789., Construction of a toll bridge at Callowhill Street in 1812 connected Ridge Avenue to the Lancaster Turnpike., The Chestnut Street Bridge opened in 1866, allowing a trolley route to extend from Front Street to 42nd Street., The Walnut Street Bridge opened in 1893. The original bridge stood until 1988, when it was replaced with a new bridge that opened in 1991., The South Street Bridge opened for general use in 1876 and was replaced with this drawbridge in 1923.