London Bridge and Lake Havasu

Who said you can’t buy a bridge?  That is exactly what the city of Lake Havasu did when the London Bridge that had formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England until 1967. The bridge was dismantled and shipped to northern Arizona where it was reconstructed across a small bay called Thompson Bay. Each piece of the  bridge was numbered, dismantled and then reconstructed in its present location where it reopened in 1971 as a star visitor drawing card for the city. A small “English Village” with shops and restaurants was constructed next to the bridge to give the feeling of being in the English countryside.  While the economy has taken it’s toll on local merchants in the English Village, it is still a picturesque and fun place to stroll around for an hour or two. Boats crossing over to the local casino also leave from this area and paddle boats or canoes can also be rented here for some fun time paddling or peddling around on the lake.