Big River Bridge, 1899 – 1924

The third bridge across Big River, completed in 1899, was an important connection between Mendocino and the communities to the south and inland. Built by Healey & Tibbets for $7,793, it replaced an older bridge that had become too unsafe to use. The County Board of Supervisors fast-tracked the new construction under emergency procedures, and the bridge opened to public travel in August of that year. Built on the same site as the original toll bridge, the new span was welcomed by locals who had grown tired of travel disruptions caused by the crumbling old structure.

Unfortunately, the new bridge didn’t hold up well. Harsh coastal storms repeatedly took their toll. Heavy rains and floods in 1902 and 1906 damaged the north approach and central piers. In early 1906, rushing water washed out one of the piers, dropping part of the bridge five feet. Just months later, the San Francisco earthquake caused an entire span to collapse. A local ferry service was quickly set up, and a contractor from the coast, Wilder Pullen, led a swift repair effort that reopened the bridge within a few weeks, earning community praise for his speed and skill.

But the problems didn’t stop there. In 1907, the bridge suffered two more collapses, both caused by flooding and shifting piers. These repeated failures interrupted travel and hurt Mendocino’s economy. Local newspaper coverage became increasingly critical of the bridge’s design and the slow response to its problems. Over time, the community pushed for local builders like Pullen and Henry McKenzie to take on the repair work, believing their familiarity with local conditions made them better suited for the job.

Through the 1910s, the bridge was patched up again and again, often just enough to keep it open. It struggled to handle the growing number of cars and trucks using it. One especially memorable incident happened in August 1921, when a 14-ton Holt logging tractor broke through the bridge’s northern end and crashed nose-first onto the beach. Luckily, the driver was unhurt and the tractor barely damaged. The bridge was repaired the next day, and the tractor was ferried across the river to continue its journey inland. Still, the accident underscored just how outdated the bridge had become.

By 1924, the bridge was in such bad shape that locals joked its patchwork floor looked like a “crazy quilt.” That spring, the county put out bids for a brand-new bridge. Construction began soon after, and on November 3, 1924, the fourth Big River bridge opened to the public.

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