Much of the credit for the privately funded bridge went to prominent Newport News businessman and city mayor Philip W. Hiden, whose daughter -- taking a role as the state of Virginia --cut the ribbon opening the span with an immense pair of scissors.

Standing by her side in blue frocks and golden hats was an escort of 23 "fair maidens," each one representing a Hampton Roads city, town or county.

Another key investor was Daily Press Editor W. Scott Copeland, who joined with Hiden to convince the nationally known Boston investment firm of Paine Webber to arrange bond financing for the innovative bridge.

In addition to the record-breaking 4.8-mile span, the crossing boasted a world-leading 300-foot-long lift-span that could rise 147 feet above the James. The one-way toll for driving across this pioneering engineering feat was $1.20."

The historic waters of the James River in Virginia have been conquered by the hands of modern constructive genius inspired by the necessities of 20th-century automobile transportation," wrote Daily Press reporter Heywood Bell in a front-page story emblazoned with numerous deck headlines, including "New Epoch in the History of Virginia."

When the parade started, a "rude cart, drawn by a stolid ox" led a lengthy collection of period vehicles that underscored the bridge's importance as an unprecedented connection with the future.

It was accompanied by a line of marching military units measuring more than a mile in length, while a long series of nearly 100 lavish historical floats entertained the crowd with such prize-winning entries as the "Capture of Blackbeard," which was acted out enthusiastically by the members of the Women's Club of Hampton.

Nine airplanes and two blimps from Langley Field added to the martial pageantry of the affair, as did the presence of the USS Marblehead and numerous other Navy vessels.

Still, less than a year after the James River Bridge opened, the stock market crashed and the bonds issued to pay for the span lost most of their value.

The state of Virginia took it over during World War II and made it part of the commonwealth's highway system.

Despite its initial financial failure, the bridge quickly changed the traditional pattern of life on both sides of the river, encouraging thousands of commuters to look for new jobs and places to live.

Passenger ferries and cargo vessels were soon made obsolete by cars and trucks.

By the mid-1970s, traffic had grown so much that the span had to be replaced by a still larger though not higher 4-lane bridge costing $75 million.

All that remained of the original crossing was a fishing pier on the Newport News side of the river, but that, too eventually was replaced with a new structure.

-- Mark St. John Erickson

http://www.nnhs65.com/SITE-MAP.html

     http://www.nnhs65.com/old-stomping.html

          http://www.nnhs65.com/OOSG-H-M.html

               http://www.nnhs65.com/james-river-bridge.html