Reclaiming the Yuma Crossing

Reclaiming the Yuma Crossing. . , Boomtown , In 1877, the Southern Pacific Railroad brought the first train into Arizona by building a bridge across the Colorado River along Madison Avenue. The bridge design included a section that pivoted open, like a gate, to allow steamboats to pass. This movement of commerce spurred a commercial boom with new hotels and restaurants. , Railroad bridge spans the Colorado River at Yuma, brining in the first train to the Arizona territory. , The new Southern Pacific Hotel boasts hot and cold baths, a barber shop, and the luxuries of a metropolitan hotel. , Decadees of Decline , A series of disastrous floods forced the railroad to relocate the rail crossing to higher ground next to the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge in 1922. Cut off from commerce, Madison Avenue became deserted and desolate. Though the Yuma Crossing National Historic Landmark was established in 1967, it became threatened by the 1990s through neglect and utility intrusions. , The riverfront has been revitalized with parks, walking trails, wetlands. hotels, and Pivot Point Plaza. , Renewal in the 21st Century through a Public-Private Partnership , The City of Yuma and the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area worked with the private sector to facilitate more than $40 million of public and private improvements. Today, Gateway Park and Pivot Point Plaza celebrate Yuma's rich history while revitalizing the Yuma Crossing.