Location Information (for the Pascagoula River Bridge) Name: Pascagoula River Bridge [Merrill Bridge] Address: Highway 596 near Merrill City/County: Lucedale vic., George County Architectural Information Construction Date: 1928 Mississippi Landmark Information Designated: 03-11-1993 Recorded: 01-06-1997 Book/Vol. No.: V. 239, 9. 408 Context/Comments This bridge was built in 1928 as part of the "Florida Mid-west Highway," established in the 1920s to link Miami, FL and Omaha, NE. It replaced the Pascagoula ferry traditionally operated at this crossing, which shuttled an average of 100 cars daily. It was the last ferry crossing to be eliminated on the route. This was the first bridge across the Pascagoula River, was budgeted to cost $125,000 to complete, and originally charged a toll. In 1933 the State of Mississippi Highway Department purchased the bridge for $60,000. The bridge was designated a Mississippi Landmark on March 11, 1993. The bridge was closed to traffic in 2012.

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Brief Description One-story, steel frame, two-lane, two-span Parker through truss bridge across the Pascagoula River, just south of the confluence of the Chickasawhay and Leaf rivers. The bridge has riveted steel beams, a steel grate deck, and wooden bumpers. The spans are supported by three concrete pylon piers.