PITTSBURGH, PA — A celebration will be held on June 27 to commemorate the 100th birthday of the Andy Warhol Bridge, which links Downtown Pittsburgh and the city's North Side.
The free event will occur from 11 a.m.-3p.m., during which the bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic.
The birthday bash will include community art projects, music, games, contests, food and other activities. Art projects will be led by the Andy Warhol Museum and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Media partner City Cast Pittsburgh will emcee and lead the crowd through games and contests, and local artist Strawberry Luna is creating a commemorative poster for the bridge’s milestone birthday.
The Andy Warhol Bridge is the oldest of Allegheny County’s three "sister bridges" and the only span in the country named for a visual artist.
The bridge first opened on June 17, 1926, according to Allegheny County officials.
In 1925, the county warded a contract to the American Bridge Company to build the Sister Bridges, described in the announcement as the only three identically designed self-anchored suspension bridges in the world.
The Seventh Street Bridge, now known as the Andy Warhol Bridge, cost $1.4 million to build and is the longest of the three bridges at 1,061 feet.
The county said the bridge opened with a parade and dedication ceremony. The Ninth Street Bridge, now known as the Rachel Carson Bridge, opened during November 1926. Construction of the Sixth Street Bridge, now known as the Roberto Clemente Bridge, started in 1927 and was completed in 1928.
“As our nation commemorates the U.S. Semiquincentennial, it is fitting that we recognize the oldest of the three sister bridges, which represent Pittsburgh’s tradition of innovation, ingenuity, and ‘we can do it’ spirit,” said Andy Masich, president and CEO of the Senator John Heinz History Center
“These iconic bridges, painted in ‘Aztec Gold’ as an homage to the city’s official colors, are symbols of Pittsburgh’s vibrancy, culture, and most importantly, its people.”
In 2005, the county renamed the Seventh Street Bridge as the Andy Warhol Bridge to honor the artist and mark the 10th anniversary of The Andy Warhol Museum, located two blocks away on the North Side.
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