American Bridge

American Bridge was a designer and manufacturer of structural steel, steel bridges, and other structures with a fabrication plant at 700 39th Street North in Birmingham's North Avondale neighborhood.

The Birmingham plant first opened in 1922 as part of the Virginia Bridge & Iron Co. of Roanoke, Virginia, which had staffed an office in Birmingham's First National Bank Building since at least 1905.

The business was acquired by U.S. Steel in 1936 and operated as the Virginia Bridge Co.. In 1948 the division constructed a new 2-story, 23,865 square-foot office building at their fabrication plant.

The Virginia Bridge Co. division was merged with American Bridge in 1952, and began operating under that name.

In 1965 U.S. Steel closed the fabrication plant in Birmingham as well as one in Roanoke. The local engineering and contracting office remained open. Approximately 500 workers were laid off or transferred to other positions in the company.

Allen Ingle Jr's Diamond Express trucking company took over the former American Bridge property.

References

• "Virginia Bridge Now U.S. Steel Unit" (January 24, 1936) The New York Times, p. 26
• "American Bridge To Close Plant" (October 9, 1965) Birmingham Post-Herald, p. 1