Saturday, July 27 2024: … An Information Plaque About Rainbow Bridge.
… To See A WebPage That Shows More Clearly => This /\Above/\ Sign, With Full Text & Photos. Click Here.
…RAINBOW BRIDGE
History
…The bridge “eliminated for all time the terrors of the Donner grade from the state highway system of California.”
…Automobile travel could be a harrying affair in the old days and Donner Summit was a difficult route. You can trace the old route of the Lincoln Highway by looking up and down the hill. It’s the old dirt sections you can still see. By the 1920’s auto travel was increasing in popularity. People loved the freedom the auto represented. With more people traveling there was demand for fewer bad roads. Interestingly it was the U.S. Forest Service that undertook to improve transportation up to Donner Pass. The Forest Service wanted to facilitate the transportation of lumber out of the Tahoe Basin and the sometimes 18% grades on Donner Summit prevented transit. The Forest Service contracted to have Rainbow Bridge built. It was “a giant highway engineering feat… requiring two years of constant work” to build the bridge, the first with a grand and compound curve - a remarkable feat in those days. It was finished for $37,304.32. Not only was lumber transport improved, but the bridge brought more people to Donner Summit and Lake Tahoe. (Photo: The bridge in the late 20’s, 1933, and under construction.)
A Good Story
…Rainbow Bridge has been featured in movies like “True Lies” and in many television commercials and print ads. In the summer of 2007 a bear, pictured below, crawled up in the supports and achieved its 15 minutes of fame before being tranquilized and remove.
Things to do right here
• Check out the petroglyphs and China Wall on the west side of the curve just downhill.
• Scramble among the rocks.
• Watch the rock climbers
• In winter watch daredevils ski and snowboard down the cliff faces of • Mt. Donner just to the south.
• Enjoy the views of Donner Lake to the east.
Erected by Donner Summit Historical Society. (Marker Number 28.)
Topics and series.
…This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Donner Summit Historical Society, and the Nevada - 20-Mile Museum - Hwy 40 Scenic Bypass series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1933.
Location: 39° 19.13′ N, 120° 19.167′ W. Marker is near Norden, California, in Nevada County. It is on Donner Pass Road.
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 30, 2014
2. Rainbow Bridge and Marker, on the right when traveling east. Marker is at or near this postal address: 18702 Donner Pass Road, Norden CA 95724, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker:
…A) Stephens – Townsend – Murphy Party of 1844 (within shouting distance of this marker);
…B) Donner Pass (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); McGlashan Point (about 300 feet away);
…C) Transcontinental Railroad (about 300 feet away);
…D) Donner Summit Overlook (about 300 feet away);
…E) Donner Summit Bridge (about 300 feet away); Petroglyphs (about 500 feet away);
…F) China Wall (about 600 feet away).
Regarding Rainbow Bridge. This marker is removed every Fall for the winter months and replaced every Spring for the summer season.
Also see . . . The 20-Mile Museum Brochure. Information and the listing of all the markers within this series. (Submitted on March 28, 2015.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 10, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 661 times since then and 70 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 24, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.

With Many Thanks: The Above Copied From
… THE HISTORICAL MARKER DATABASE: :Click Here.

NOTE1:
…The Above Mentioned “20-Mile Museum - Hwy 40 Scenic Bypass ”, Refers To The 20 Miles Of The Road Scenery, And NOT Any Museum Building.
… For Five Really Great Photos Showing The Scenery Around Rainbow Bridge, Discussion Or “20-Mile Museum” + Tourist Information, Click Here.

NOTE2:
The Highway 40 Scenic Bypass. Published By Jennifer Bourn on February 26, 2017.
…The scenic drive through the mountains and over Donner Summit, old Highway 40 is a scenic drive through several gold rush era towns, from Colfax to Baxter and again from Cisco Grove to Truckee.
…The section of Highway from Donner Summit to Donner Lake across the Rainbow Bridge is considered one of the most scenic pieces of highway in the country. We drive this spectacular stretch of road every time we drive up to Donner Lake just to take in the amazing views.
For Ten Excellent Photos Showing What Can Be Seen Along Old Route 40, As It Goes Over The High Sierra Mountains. Also Tourist Information, Maps, And Directions. Click Here.

NOTE3:
What people are saying =>
…I drove on the scenic road (Highway 40) on a beautiful day in July, and enjoyed the fantastic scenery. AND “Great viewpoint on the Donner Pass! The history makes it more interesting - be sure to look up the history of the Donner Party first!. Click Here.

…For A Very Interesting & Excellent Photo View. From The Rocky Heights Of Donner Pass, Over Donner Lake, Worth A Click!

…For Information About Rainbow Bridge, Also Called Donner Summit Bridge, Click Here.

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