Alvord Lake Bridge

What you need to know

The First Reinforced Concrete Bridge in the United States

The Alvord Lake Bridge sits at the Haight Street entrance to Golden Gate Park, just past Stanyan. It was built in 1889 by Ernest L. Ransome and is considered the first reinforced concrete bridge built in the United States. A single arch spans 29 feet, and the bridge measures 64 feet wide.

The structure looks like rough-cut stone, but it’s shaped concrete. Ransome was experimenting with what reinforced concrete could do, including the fake stalactites hanging from the underside of the arch. The bridge came through the 1906 earthquake undamaged. It was designated a National Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1970.

Alvord Lake itself sits nearby, with ducks and the occasional heron.

Visiting

Address: Eastern entrance to Golden Gate Park, near Haight and Stanyan Streets

Hours: Always accessible

Cost: Free

Best time to go: Anytime you’re entering the park from the Haight.

What to know: The bridge is right at the park entrance on Kezar Drive near Haight Street. Look for the arched concrete bridge over the pedestrian path.

Getting There

Transit: Muni 7-Haight/Noriega or 33-Ashbury/18th to Haight and Stanyan. N-Judah to Cole and Carl, then walk.

Parking: Street parking on Stanyan or Haight. The Kezar Stadium lot is nearby.

Walking: The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood is steps away. The park’s eastern attractions (Conservatory of Flowers, Hippie Hill, the meadows) are a short walk west.