The Ocean to Ocean Bridge

Up until the late 1800s Yuma was separated from the mainland by the Colorado River. The only means of crossing was by boat. Then in the Spring of 1877 a bridge was built across the river, linking Yuma to the rest of the country. There was one drawback, however. The railroad people were forbidden by the federal government to build tracks on the bridge. So on September 30, 1877, an enterprising group of railroaders waited until after dark and very quietly laid train tracks. By the time the guards realized what had happened, the first train , whistle screaming, rolled into Yuma at dawn. That bridge continues to be used by the railroads but a new bridge, called the Ocean to Ocean, accommodates other traffic. We're happy this was accomplished because that's the bridge we cross to get to the casino!