London Bridge is Falling Down
So…move it to Arizona
Is it just me? Or, has everyone been shown the left bridge picture and asked…”Do you know where the London bridge is?…
And, of course, the answer is that the London Bridge is in Arizona. The left picture is actually the Tower Bridge which does happen to be in London. And, the right picture, with Carol, is the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, AZ. So, here is the highly abridged back story…
In the 1960s, the London Bridge, which then spanned the Thames River in London, was decaying and could no longer support the London traffic . So, the 130 year old bridge was decommissioned and replaced by a new bridge. In 1968, an entrepreneur named, Robert McCulloch, bought the bridge for 2.46 million dollars. Over the next 3 years, he spent lots more money transporting and reconstructing the bridge at his new planned development in Arizona. The bridge was his centerpiece of the new planned development, eventually called Lake Havasu City, AZ. Thus, that’s how the London Bridge ended up in Arizona.
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
With the bridge as the starting point, Mr. McCulloch basically built a British themed city to successfully draw in many affluent residents and visitors. The beaches, mountains and waterways probably also had something to do with the successful development of this Anglophile vacation spot.
And, if you had not noticed, the British flag always flies proudly on the London Bridge of Lake Havasu City.
Wrap It Up
To be honest, Lake Havasu City is interesting. Its got water, beaches, and a mountain view. I can not deny the beauty. But, I did not like the vibe. Its too much of the classic, uppity playground for the wealthier class. There seemed to be crowds everywhere. The traffic sucked when I was there. We stopped by because the “London bridge is falling down” and was rebuilt in Lake Havasu City. So, seen it…done that…no need to go back. Have a wonderful day. PT
I hope you have enjoyed “London Bridge is Falling Down” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.
Here was a past CHALLENGE on bridges… https://travelingwithpt.com/bridge-challenge-answered/
If you want more on Lake Havasu City tourism… https://www.golakehavasu.com/london-bridge/the-english-village/
P.S. Technically, the “London Bridge” is in Arizona AND in London. The Lake Havasu London Bridge was the previous version. The replacement of this bridge is the current London bridge of London, England. But, the story is better without that technicality.
