.gif)
Granada Bridge (Ormond Beach)
Encyclopedia
The Granada Bridge is a high-clearance bridge that spans the Halifax River
and Intracoastal Waterway
, linking the mainland and beach peninsula parts of Ormond Beach
, Volusia County
, Florida
. Granada Bridge carries four lanes of Florida State Road 40 and Granada Blvd. The Casements
, along with City Hall Plaza, Fortunato Park, and Riverbridge Park reside at the four corners of Ormond Beach's Granada Bridge, which give their collective name to the annual "Four Corners Festival" in Ormond Beach.
In September 1999, the bridge was crossed by about 24,000 cars every day. By January 2007, that number increased to approximately 35,500 vehicles per day.
The Town of Ormond was incorporated March 22, 1880. There were few residents on the beach peninsula until 1886, when the St. Johns and Halifax Railroad reached the area. The railroad brought new visitors, which inspired John Anderson and Joseph Price to build the Ormond Hotel
on the beachside. They also planned to build a bridge across the Halifax River so railroad passengers could walk to their new hotel.
sponsored three bills, authorizing the building of bridges in Volusia County, across the Halifax River, St. Johns River
, and Indian Lagoon. In that same year, La Vega, which itself was called New England Avenue in 1875, was renamed to Granada Boulevard. The towns of Ormond and Daytona competed to build the first bridge across the Halifax River. In 1887, Anderson and Price managed to finish their bridge in Ormond first. It was a simple wooden bridge, with a drawbridge device for boats to pass.
owner Henry M. Flagler
bought out the St. Johns and Halifax Railroad, and bought into the Ormond Hotel. By 1890, Flagler bought out his partners' interest in the hotel and expanded it to 300 rooms. In 1905, Flagler built a second bridge near the first as a railroad spur so his trains could carry passengers directly to the resort. Later, Flagler had the railroad bridge redesigned so wealthy visitors could drive automobiles over it to the hotel. The first wooden bridge was demolished soon afterward.
(drawbridge) was constructed to carry Granada Boulevard. It was opened on March 2, 1954, and named the Rockefeller Memorial Bridge for Standard Oil billionaire John D. Rockefeller
, who had made The Casements
in Ormond his winter and retirement home until he died in 1937.
portorange(bottom)bridges2.png)
The widening of Florida State Road 40 in the 1980s created the need for a new bridge. During the construction of Granada Bridge, a platform collapsed and caused three workers to fall more than 60 feet onto a barge, with one falling to his death. The Florida State Department of Transportation was in charge of the bridge construction, and built the present four-lane high clearance concrete and steel bridge in 1983. In May 1987, the U.S. federal government agreed to provide $8.16 million of the estimated $12 million cost of building a Port Orange, Florida
bridge planned to be similar to the Granada Bridge. The resulting bridge across the Halifax River, the Port Orange Causeway
across the Halifax River, was completed in 1990.
In July 1997, a kitten named Lucky fell from a truck on the Granada Bridge and, after scrambling to safety from other moving cars, fell from the bridge. Lucky suffered a broken leg and acute kidney failure in the fall, and was rescued from a barnacle-covered piling by the U.S. Department of Transportation
. His owners considered putting him down after learning of his bad shape and the expense of a kidney transplant. When Lucky's story was released to the public, donations poured in to help pay for the transplant. The survival of Lucky, whose name was changed to Timmy following the accident, was called "miraculous" by his attending veterinarian.
Bicycle lanes are marked in the shoulder of the span and two pedestrian walkways at the far ends. The bridge is part of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail, a Florida Scenic Highway
, designated on July 9, 2007.
Halifax River
The Halifax River is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, located in northeast Volusia County, Florida. The waterway was originally known as the North Mosquito River, but was renamed after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, during the British occupation of Florida .-Geography:The...
and Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
, linking the mainland and beach peninsula parts of Ormond Beach
Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 36,301 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 37,929. Ormond Beach is the northern neighbor of Daytona Beach and is home to Tomoka State Park.-History:Ormond Beach was...
, Volusia County
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Granada Bridge carries four lanes of Florida State Road 40 and Granada Blvd. The Casements
The Casements
The Casements is a mansion in Ormond Beach, Florida, U.S., originally constructed as a private residence in 1910 by the Reverend Harwood Huntington of New Haven, Connecticut. The name of the mansion was derived from the many casement windows incorporated into the design of the building, as it was...
, along with City Hall Plaza, Fortunato Park, and Riverbridge Park reside at the four corners of Ormond Beach's Granada Bridge, which give their collective name to the annual "Four Corners Festival" in Ormond Beach.
In September 1999, the bridge was crossed by about 24,000 cars every day. By January 2007, that number increased to approximately 35,500 vehicles per day.
History
Ormond Hotel
The Ormond Hotel was an historic hotel in Ormond Beach, Florida, United States. It was located at 15 East Granada Boulevard.-History:Built by John Anderson and J. D. Price, the hotel opened on January 1, 1888...
on the beachside. They also planned to build a bridge across the Halifax River so railroad passengers could walk to their new hotel.
First bridge
In 1887, Florida Congressman Charles DoughertyCharles Dougherty (Florida)
Charles Dougherty was a U.S. Democratic politician.He was born in Athens, Georgia. He moved to Florida in 1871. He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from Florida and served from March 4, 1885 to March 3, 1889. He died in Daytona Beach, Florida.-References:*...
sponsored three bills, authorizing the building of bridges in Volusia County, across the Halifax River, St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
, and Indian Lagoon. In that same year, La Vega, which itself was called New England Avenue in 1875, was renamed to Granada Boulevard. The towns of Ormond and Daytona competed to build the first bridge across the Halifax River. In 1887, Anderson and Price managed to finish their bridge in Ormond first. It was a simple wooden bridge, with a drawbridge device for boats to pass.
Second bridge
Florida East Coast RailwayFlorida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
owner Henry M. Flagler
Henry Morrison Flagler
Henry Morrison Flagler was an American tycoon, real estate promoter, railroad developer and partner of John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil. He was a key figure in the development of the eastern coast of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean and was founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway...
bought out the St. Johns and Halifax Railroad, and bought into the Ormond Hotel. By 1890, Flagler bought out his partners' interest in the hotel and expanded it to 300 rooms. In 1905, Flagler built a second bridge near the first as a railroad spur so his trains could carry passengers directly to the resort. Later, Flagler had the railroad bridge redesigned so wealthy visitors could drive automobiles over it to the hotel. The first wooden bridge was demolished soon afterward.
Third bridge
The converted railroad bridge stood for many years until it became too old to be serviced. A newer, two-lane wooden bascule bridgeBascule bridge
A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic....
(drawbridge) was constructed to carry Granada Boulevard. It was opened on March 2, 1954, and named the Rockefeller Memorial Bridge for Standard Oil billionaire John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
, who had made The Casements
The Casements
The Casements is a mansion in Ormond Beach, Florida, U.S., originally constructed as a private residence in 1910 by the Reverend Harwood Huntington of New Haven, Connecticut. The name of the mansion was derived from the many casement windows incorporated into the design of the building, as it was...
in Ormond his winter and retirement home until he died in 1937.
Fourth bridge
Port Orange, Florida
Port Orange is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 52,793. The city is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area; the metropolitan area's 2006 population was estimated at...
bridge planned to be similar to the Granada Bridge. The resulting bridge across the Halifax River, the Port Orange Causeway
Port Orange Causeway
The Port Orange Causeway, commonly called the Port Orange Bridge or the Dunlawton Bridge, spans the Halifax River and Intracoastal Waterway in Port Orange, Volusia County, Florida...
across the Halifax River, was completed in 1990.
In July 1997, a kitten named Lucky fell from a truck on the Granada Bridge and, after scrambling to safety from other moving cars, fell from the bridge. Lucky suffered a broken leg and acute kidney failure in the fall, and was rescued from a barnacle-covered piling by the U.S. Department of Transportation
Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...
. His owners considered putting him down after learning of his bad shape and the expense of a kidney transplant. When Lucky's story was released to the public, donations poured in to help pay for the transplant. The survival of Lucky, whose name was changed to Timmy following the accident, was called "miraculous" by his attending veterinarian.
Bicycle lanes are marked in the shoulder of the span and two pedestrian walkways at the far ends. The bridge is part of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail, a Florida Scenic Highway
Florida Scenic Highways
-Federally designated scenic byways:-State designated scenic byways:-External links:*...
, designated on July 9, 2007.