13 Rare Photos Taken During The Ravenel Bridge Construction That Will Simply Astound You

Crossing the wide mouth of the Cooper River from Charleston to Mount Pleasant is an activity that has captivated the Lowcountry for ages. Most people can remember the two previous bridges that were utilized for decades (you can see footage of driving across the narrow Grace Memorial bridge here).

In 2003, construction began on the replacement bridge, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, and the entire community watched it grow. One person, in particular, Frank Starmer, documented most of the highlights of construction. Take a look at 13 rare photos below, including a look at the secret signature tablet hidden somewhere on the bridge!

1. The first anchors are in place on the West Tower (the tower nearest to downtown Charleston).

2. Two of the bridge's massive cable casings are laid out lengthwise.

3. An elevator in the main pylon carries a man up to the main level.

4. An upclose look at a tendon and the approximately 40 individual cables inside the tendon. At left, a crew member stands in front of one of the elevators.

5. The pedestrian and bike lanes — before the safety barriers were added!

6. A view of the water below the main span prior to connecting two sections.

7. Connecting two spans (sections) with a splice plate and hundreds (and hundreds!) of huge bolts.

8. Showcasing the curve in the main span.

9. The view from the top of the west pylon looking toward Mt. Pleasant.

10. The very top of the west pylon, with Charleston in the background. According to the photographer, there's a secret tablet on this platform...

11. The secret tablet most people don't know about...

12. A closer look at the secret tablet with signatures of the crew. It's located on top of the west tower on the Ravenel Bridge.

13. A photo of the first day of traffic, July 2005.

What do you remember most about the old bridges that connected Mount Pleasant and Charleston?

(Many thanks to Frank Starmer, whose collection of construction photos and detailed information about each can be seen at this link.)