Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge
Suspension bridge across the Ohio River in Covington, Kentucky. Built 1867 by John Augustus Roebling. Added to the National Register in 1975, and a National Historic Landmark.




What it is
The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky. When opened to traffic on January 1, 1867, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at 1,057 feet (322 m) main span, before being overtaken by the Niagara Clifton Bridge, which was later surpassed by John A. Roebling's most famous design of the 1883 Brooklyn Bridge at 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m). Pedestrians use the bridge to get between the hotels, bars, restaurants, and other amenities in Northern Kentucky. The bar and restaurant district at the foot of the bridge on the Kentucky side is known as Roebling Point.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Structure |
| Address | Spans Ohio River between Covington, KY and Cincinnati, OH, Covington, KY |
| County | Kenton County |
| Listed | May 15, 1975 |
| Listed for | Engineering |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | The Suspension Bridge |
| Reference number | 75000786 |
| Built | 1867 · more from the 1860s |
| Architect | John Augustus Roebling |
| Type of place | suspension bridge, road bridge |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, Historic Civil Engineering Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 structure |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | Spans Ohio River between Covington, KY and Cincinnati, OH, Covington, KY |
| Coordinates | 39.0923° N, 84.5095° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Covington | 53 listed places in Covington → |
| Nearest national park unit | William Howard Taft National Historic Site · 2 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Overlook Shelter (Brookville Lake) 35 miles · Tailwater Shelter 1 (Brookville Lake) 35 miles · Tailwater Shelter 2 (Brookville Lake) 36 miles |
Explore
Map
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Kentucky travel guides
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge listed on the National Register?
May 15, 1975. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge built?
1867, designed by John Augustus Roebling.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge?
Yes. Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge?
Spans Ohio River between Covington, KY and Cincinnati, OH, Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky. The nearest national park unit is William Howard Taft National Historic Site, 2 miles away.
Where is the nomination form for Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Overlook Shelter (Brookville Lake), 35 miles away. Tailwater Shelter 1 (Brookville Lake) is 35 miles away, and Tailwater Shelter 2 (Brookville Lake) is 36 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 75000786. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.