New Albany in Floyd County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

A Beautiful Bridge

— Ohio River Scenic Byway —

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), August 22, 2011

1. A Beautiful Bridge Marker

Inscription. The double-decked Sherman Minton Bridge was constructed to carry interstate I-64 traffic between Kentucky and Indiana. It was the work of the Louisville firm of Hazelet & Erdal, designers of the later John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge, which connects Louisville, KY, and Jeffersonville, IN, further to the east. The Sherman Minton Bridge was completed in 1962, at a cost of $14.8 million. It is 2,053 feet in length, and is a two-span, steel through-arch bridge.

Sherman Minton, for whom the bridge is named, practiced law in New Albany before becoming a US Senator and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Minton served on the Supreme Court at the time of the famous Brown vs. Board of Education decision.

The bridge was named the most beautiful long-span bridge of 1961 by the American Institute of Steel Construction.

By the Way: 8,000 tons of steel were used by the 75 ironworkers who constructed the bridge's superstructure.

Captions
• (Inset) Sherman Minton Bridge under construction. New Albany-Floyd County Public Library
• (Background) New Albany-Floyd County Public Library

Erected by Ohio River Scenic Byway.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Bridges & Viaducts

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. A significant historical year for this entry is 1962.

Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 38° 16.915′ N, 85° 49.298′ W. Marker was in New Albany, Indiana, in Floyd County. Marker was on East Water Street, 0.2 miles west of East 6th Street, on the right when traveling west. Marker was just west of the New Albany Riverfront Amphitheater. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 100 E Water St, New Albany IN 47150, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Founding of New Albany (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Scribner House (about 600 feet away); State Bank of Indiana (approx. 0.2 miles away); New Albany's First Bank Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mob Violence, 1862 (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Israel House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Horseshoe Foundation Gazebo (approx. 0.2 miles away); Old New Albany (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Albany.

Also see . . .
1. Sherman Minton Bridge. Wikipedia entry on the bridge, originally called the Louisville-New Albany Bridge and renamed in Minton's honor in 1962. (Submitted on May 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Sherman Minton. Wikipedia entry on the liberal politician and conservative

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), August 22, 2011

2. A Beautiful Bridge Marker

jurist, a contrast that historians have called rare. (Submitted on May 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Sherman Minton (1890-1965) image. Click for full size.

Unknown via National Archives (Public Domain), circa 1954

3. Sherman Minton (1890-1965)

A New Deal Democrat from Indiana, he served a term as a U.S. Senator from that state before President Harry S. Truman appointed him to the Supreme Court in 1949. He abhorred racial segregation and was a strong vote in the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. He retired from the high court for health reasons in 1956.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 104 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.