This 1927 concrete bridge at the mouth of the Chelan River replaced an older bridge that had carried horse and foot travel for almost 50 years. The dam just downriver was built in 1927 also and raised the level of the lake 21 feet. The LED lights on the bridge replaced older incandescent lights, and the colors are changed seasonally to the Chelan H.S. colors (green, white, red), Seahawks (navy, green and grey), or other choices. It is known as “the old bridge” to distinguish it from “the new bridge,” built in 1977 downriver, above the dam. The Chelan River is the shortest river in the state of Washington at 4.1 miles long.

Photo courtesy of the Chelan Museum