History of the Old Roosevelt Bridge
A small part of Martin County is separated by the St. Lucie River. Communities in this northern area were among the earliest settlements. The post office in Waveland was established in 1880 (it changed its name to Sewall’s Point in 1891) and Eden's post office was opened in 1882.
On the south side of the river, the post office of Potsdam was established in 1892, with Otto Stypmann the first postmaster. The name was changed to “Stuart” in 1895. Walter Kitching wanted the name changed from "Potsdam" to "Stuart" without asking the residents, so the Florida East Coast Rail moved the depot from a smaller town north of Potsdam, and the name came with it after Walter gave them right-of-way on his land.
Like other communities, all wanted to sell their wares, buy supplies, and visit each other. The Florida East Coast railway installed a wooden train bridge in 1894, which was then replaced by a concrete and steel bridge in 1905.
All other travel between the settlements was done by boat. According to Joe Crankshaw (Stuart News, 12 May 1996), Capt. Charles Blakeslee ran the ferry, which was a small barge that carried two cars, until 1915. After being owned by G.W. Pidcock of Georgia for a short time, it was purchased by Frank Coventry in March 1917.
There was no bridge for vehicles or pedestrians over the inlet until 1918, when the concrete “auto bridge” was built, connecting Dixie Highway across the St. Lucie River. It was 1,365 feet long and 35 feet wide. In 1924, the bridge was lit with large electric poles, spaced 15 to 20 feet apart.
In 1932, with help from the Federal Government as part of the New Deal, construction began on a new bridge – the Roosevelt Bridge. On 10 July 1933, the supplies for the bridge were destroyed in a fire, delaying the bridge’s construction. The new bridge formally opened on 9 January 1934. It was a “bascule” (drawbridge or lifting) bridge.
In 1964, a new bascule drawbridge was built alongside the old 1934 bridge. The new bridge became the southbound lane, and the 1934 bridge became the northbound lane. These are the bridges that were used for the next 32 years, with increasing breakdowns and repairs to the bridge built in 1934.
In 1996, the New Roosevelt Bridge, a new high bridge connecting U.S. 1 across the river, was constructed. U.S. 1 was also widened at that time, with several buildings needing to be taken down to accommodate, including the Lighthouse Restaurant.
After the new bridge was in place, the 1934 bridge was torn down and in 2025, we have the 1964 bascule bridge connecting Dixie Highway across the inlet, and the 1996 bridge connecting U.S. 1.