Explore Outdoors: Cross Jim's Bridge in Sacramento County

COUNTY HISTORY. CALIFORNIA IS CERTAINLY KNOWN FOR ITS BRIDGES, BRIDGES OF ALL SHAPES, SIZES, SIZES, AND HISTORICAL LINKS. AT FIRST GLANCE, THIS BRIDGE JIM’S BRIDGE OVER THE AMERICAN RIVER, MAY NOT LOOK AS MAJESTIC AS OTHER NOTABLE CALIFORNIA BRIDGES, BUT STOP FOR A MOMENT TO READ THE PLAQUE, SOAK IN THE HISTORY, AND MAYBE, LIKE ME, YOU’LL SEE THE BEAUTY OF THIS BRIDGE IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY. JIM’S BRIDGE IS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE JUST DOWNSTREAM FROM THE SUNRISE BOULEVARD BRIDGE. HERE, BIRDS SOAR OR DUCKS FLOAT AND PEOPLE ENJOY THE RIVER. NO MATTER THE SEASON. BUT DO YOU KNOW THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS BRIDGE? AND THE NAME JIM? AFTER ALL, THERE’S A PLAQUE TO JIM ON A ROCK OVERLOOKING THE BRIDGE. HERE’S WHY. IN THE EARLY 1950S, THE PACIFIC COAST AGGREGATE COMPANY USED THE NEARBY OLD FAIR OAKS BRIDGE TO PROCESS DREDGE PILINGS AND TRANSPORT THEM OVER THE RIVER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. BUT THEN THE COUNTY IMPOSED A FIVE TON WEIGHT LIMIT ON THE OLD BRIDGE. SO IN 1953, PCA BUILT THIS BRIDGE FOR CONTINUED ACCESS TO PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE. BUT HERE’S THE THING. DECADES LATER, WHEN THE COMPANY SHUT DOWN THE GRAVEL PLANT, THE FATE OF THE BRIDGE BECAME UNCLEAR. THAT IS WHEN A MAN NAMED JIM JONES HAD A VISION AND FOUGHT TO PRESERVE THIS BRIDGE AS A PLACE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF FUTURE PARKWAY VISITORS. DUE TO HIS EFFORTS TO SAVE THIS PIECE OF HISTORY, A PLAQUE ERECTED IN 1989, NOW SITS ON A ROCK OVERLOOKING THE BRIDGE. SO IF YOU GO TO VISIT CROSS OR JUST ADMIRE THIS BRIDGE, DON’T FORGET TO SOAK IN THE HISTORY AND THE NAME OF THE MAN WHO HELPED TO SAVE AND PRESERVE IT. THE JIM JONES BRIDGE AT SACRAMENTO BAR IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY, MIKE TESELLE FOR EXPLORE OUTDOORS. THE QR CODE WE HAVE HAD ON THE SCREEN WILL TAKE YOU TO THIS AND OTHER EXPLORE OUTDOOR STORIES. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED, HERE’S A CLOSER LOOK AT WHERE JIM’S BRIDGE IS LOCATED. IT’S JUST OFF SUNRISE BOULEVARD IN THE GOLD RIVER AREA FOR YOU. ACCESS IT THROUGH THE SUNRISE OR SUNRISE OR OTHER RECREATION AREA. BE ADVISED THAT TOMORROW MORNING, SACRAMENTO COUNTY PARKS WILL HAVE A TEMPORARY TRAIL CLOSURE IN T