Purple People Bridge, Cincinnati

Spanning 2,670 feet over the Ohio River and connecting Newport, Kentucky, to downtown Cincinnati, the Purple People Bridge is more than just a colorful pedestrian crossing-it's a living slice of regional history with roots stretching back to 1872.

Originally opened on April 1, 1872, as the Newport and Cincinnati Bridge, it was the first railroad bridge over the Ohio River linking Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Built with sturdy stone from Adams County, Ohio, the bridge served as a vital artery in a rapidly industrializing America, just seven years after the Civil War.

In the 1890s, the bridge was upgraded with new decks for streetcars and carriages, and its truss was rebuilt to handle heavier trains. Renamed the L&N Railroad Bridge in 1904, it got an asphalt deck to support road traffic. Streetcars ran until 1921, and by 1935, the Kentucky Highway Department took over the streetcar and vehicle lanes. Tolls were dropped in 1941, marked by a brief celebration.

Throughout the 20th century, the bridge shifted from an industrial transport route to a local landmark. Streetcar tracks were removed in 1950, and by 1987, rail service ended entirely. A major restoration in the early 2000s gave it new life as a pedestrian-only bridge, painted purple after public input-earning it the nickname “Purple People Bridge.” Managed by a non-profit, it briefly offered bridge-climbing tours in 2006–2007. The name became official in 2022, and despite a brief closure in 2024 due to falling sandstone, the bridge remains a beloved river crossing.

Today, the Purple People Bridge serves as a car-free passageway for pedestrians and cyclists, and its former vehicular lanes have been reimagined as an event venue, proving that even a 150-year-old bridge can learn some new tricks-especially in purple.