Reinforced concrete carries the Gervais Street Bridge — and you — in an open-spandrel arch across the Congaree River. Construction began in 1926 and the bridge was completed in 1928; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This is the third bridge on this site: the first, built around 1827, was burned during the American Civil War, and the second, built in 1870, was replaced by the current span. When it was built it was the widest roadway in the state, and it remained the only bridge across the Congaree River until 1953.
Look closely at the structure: it is an arch bridge of reinforced concrete with open spandrels. The roadway you stand on is flanked by sidewalks, and the balustrades carry green-painted, cast-iron light fixtures at intervals. Notice the decorative details — the fixtures bear the letter C and palmetto palms on their bases, a vine pattern on the eight-sided posts, and an acanthus leaf design on the necking. It is one of only four open spandrel concrete bridges in South Carolina, a civic gesture in concrete and iron. Notice the green-painted cast-iron light fixtures lining the balustrades, each stamped with the letter C and a palmetto palm.