Aurora Avenue Bridge
historic place
The Aurora Avenue Bridge, officially known as the George Washington Memorial Bridge, is a significant historic place in Seattle, King County, Washington. Construction on the bridge's piers began in 1929, with the main bridge structure following in 1931. It opened to traffic on February 22, 1932, coinciding with the 200th birthday of George Washington. This cantilever and truss bridge spans Lake Union, connecting Seattle's Queen Anne and Fremont neighborhoods. At nearly 3,000 feet long, it served as the final link for U.S. Highway 99, which once extended from Canada to Mexico. The Aurora Avenue Bridge was Seattle's first major highway bridge and was notable for being designed without streetcar tracks. While no specific historical marker text is provided, the bridge was designated a City of Seattle Landmark in 1980. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The Aurora Avenue Bridge remains an important example of early 20th-century bridge engineering and a key part of Seattle's transportation history.