Livermore Bridge

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Historical marker #892 in McLean County commemorates uniqueness of the Livermore Bridge.

The Livermore Bridge does not contain a distinctive architectural structure or a one of a kind design. However, the bridge is like no other bridge in the world. The structure is claimed to be the only river bridge which begins in one county (McLean), but spans two rivers (Green and Rough), and crosses another county (Ohio) to end in its county of origin (McLean). The place where the Livermore Bridge crosses Ohio County is only a small sliver, approximately 1, 350 feet long. The Works Progress Administration built the structure as a polygonal Warren through truss design. The length of the bridge’s largest span is about 320 feet, with a total length of 1, 643.6 feet.

A part of Highway 431, the Livermore Bridge received its name for the city where it is located. The town of Livermore, Kentucky, sits where the Green and Rough rivers meet each other. When the Commonwealth of Kentucky built the locks and dams along the Green River in the 1830s, the area became a prosperous place for traders and merchants. On February 18, 1837, this success led William A. Brown to officially plot out the area as a town. How the city of Livermore received its name is not known.

On November 12, 1940, the Livermore Bridge was dedicated in a grand affair accompanied by a banquet. The ceremony was sponsored by the Tri-State Short Route Highway Association and the Livermore Chamber of Commerce. Kentucky Governor Keen Johnson gave the dedication address. On January 26, 1966, the historic marker was installed near the south end of the Livermore Bridge, on the west side of the road.