Court Avenue Bridge

Erected in 1917, the Court Avenue Bridge is one of several bridges that were built in Des Moines in the early 20th century. Of those bridges, this is the only one that has maintained its original appearance which is why it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge consists of five spans and is 496-feet long. It features balustrades (railings) along its entire length and arches with projecting squares and decorative vegetal panels. The bridge is one of many structures and buildings that comprise the Civic Center Historic District, which is located on both sides of the river, and like this bridge, the district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Court Avenue has been major thoroughfare in Des Moines since the first bridge was constructed in 1858. People had to pay tolls to cross it (except for legislators who were given passes to cross for free). It was the first permanent bridge to traverse the river. Preceding it was a pontoon bridge at Grand Avenue built in 1856 and a trestle bridge built at Market Street in 1857. A post-truss bridge replaced the trestle bridge in 1870.

The present Court Avenue bridge likely replaced the the truss bridge. The individual who designed it was the county engineer James B. Marsh, who specialized in bridge building. The mayor chose his design over that of the county engineering department, arguing that it was a more attractive and cost-effective design. However, the mayor did choose the department's design for the Grand Avenue bridge. Marsh was also known for giving a job to Archie Alexander, who was the first African-American to graduate in engineering from the University of Iowa. Court Avenue bridge officially opened to the public on July 10, 1918. Around 1,000 people attended the event. The bridge was rehabilitated in 1982 and every effort was made to retain the original materials. Street lamps resembling those of the 1910s were added in 1986. The bridge was renovated once more in 2018.

C. Hippen, James. Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridges In Iowa. Boone County, Iowa. 1997. pp. 5–9. http://publications.iowa.gov/18915/1/marshrainbowarchbridges.pdf.

Cannon, Austin. "Des Moines' Court Avenue bridge reopens to vehicle traffic Thursday." Des Moines Register. December 20, 2018. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2018/12/20/des-moines-court-avenue-downtown-bridge-reopen-vehicle-traffic-thursday-renovation/2376547002.

"Historic Bridges of Iowa - Court Avenue Bridge." Iowa Department of Transportation. Accessed February 3, 2022. https://iowadot.gov/historicbridges/historic-bridges/court-avenue-bridge.

Jacobsen, James E. "Civic Center Historic District." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. May 15, 1998. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/d2847d10-92d3-4e4a-b0f5-1d36b63a9649.