Eads Bridge

Storm Damage

Damage from the "Great St. Louis Tornado" of 1896

Photo from collection of Missouri Historical Society

The bridge was damaged by tornadoes on two occasions.

• On Mar 8, 1871, while the bridge was under construction, a tornado struck the east end of the bridge, sinking the Bridge Company's tug Hewitt, doing extensive damage to equipment and causing the death of a member of the construction crew who was struck by flying debris. With its compressors rendered inoperable by the storm, the caisson for the east abutment flooded, forcing suspension of work for three days, until repairs could be made.[1]


• On May 27 1896, the “Great St Louis Tornado”; estimated to have been an EF4 category storm with winds between 168 and 199 mph; struck the bridge. The main spans survived with relatively little damage but at the east approach over 300 ft of the masonry arcade supporting the upper deck was destroyed. The arcade was rebuilt using stone of a lighter color, still visible today.[2] [3]