1927-built Ebey Slough Bridge bid farewell

MARYSVILLE — Robert Rasmussen Jr. arrived home in 1946 from fighting in the Pacific in World War II and stopped off at the Ebey Slough Bridge, where his father was the bridge tender.

“He took me home to see mom,” Rasmussen recalled on Thursday while standing on the bridge, his eyes nearly welling up with tears more than 66 years after that happy day.

This was one of many memories of the Ebey Slough Bridge for Rasmussen, now 87, and three more generations of his family who were present on Thursday for a celebration marking the end of the span’s service.

Built in 1927, the bridge is scheduled to be taken down starting Monday. A $39 million bridge has been built alongside it to take its place on Highway 529.

“We come here today to say goodbye to an old friend,” Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring told a group of about 50 people. “It’s been a part of our downtown landscape for decades.”

The swing-span bridge, which opened sideways for boat traffic, was christened just before Babe Ruth’s New York Yankees won the World Series in 1927. On Thursday, Lawrence Garner of Marysville brought his restored Model T Ford touring car built that same year to the event.

Three other bridges were built across the flats between Everett and Marysville around the same time as the Ebey Slough Bridge, creating the final link in the highway from Oregon to Canada.

Marysville’s population in 1927 was less than 1,400, Nehring said. Now, Highway 529 carries 17,000 cars and trucks a day between Marysville and Everett. The old bridge is not up to seismic code and has been targeted for replacement for 20 years, said Lorena Eng, a regional administrator for the state Department of Transportation.

Half of the new, four-lane bridge is open to traffic while the other half will be used for equipment for dismantling the old bridge, said Joe Rooney, an inspector for the transportation department.

The bridge will be taken apart piece by piece, he said. The work is expected to take until early 2013 and the remainder of the new bridge will be opened to traffic at that time.

Robert Rasmussen Sr. worked for the highway department in Denmark before coming to America at age 19, his son said. Rasmussen Sr. was the Ebey Slough Bridge’s first bridge tender and continued to work there for decades. In the early days, the family lived in a farmhouse just southeast of the bridge and his dad rowed a boat to work, Rasmussen Jr. said.

Years later, the elder Rasmussen brought his grandsons into the wooden control room in the upper girders of the bridge to spend the night on graveyard shifts. Sometimes they helped their grandfather do the periodic car counts that were part of his job.

“We had two clickers, one for cars, one for trucks,” said grandson Leonard Stanton, 65, of Smokey Point.

They also would push the buttons that controlled the traffic arms that closed the bridge to auto traffic. The bridge itself was opened and closed with a lever.

Sometimes they climbed down below the car deck to crawl around on the bridge’s gears, said another grandson, Dennis Rasmussen, 63, of Bellingham.

A monument to the old bridge is being planned, said grandson Gerry Rasmussen, 65, of Lacey. A retired graphic designer for the transportation department, he’s working with the new bridge’s contractor, Granite Construction, the Department of Transportation and the Marysville Historical Society on the monument.

It’s expected to include part of the bridge’s concrete railing and a cornerstone with the 1926 date (when the concrete was poured) etched into it. The original stone was removed during some work on the bridge, so a stone from the other end will be used and have the date added, Rasmussen said.

Other features, such as old photos, may be part of the monument as well, he said. It likely will be located in Ebey Waterfront Park on the Marysville side of the slough.

Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439; sheets@heraldnet.com.

For more information on the Ebey Slough Bridge project, go to http://tinyurl.com/7k68d3l.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Firefighters respond to a 911 call on July 16, 2024, in Mill Creek. Firefighters from South County Fire, Tulalip Bay Fire Department and Camano Island Fire and Rescue left Wednesday to help fight the LA fires. (Photo provided by South County Fire)
Help is on the way: Snohomish County firefighters en route to LA fires

The Los Angeles wildfires have caused at least 180,000 evacuations. The crews expect to arrive Friday.

x
Edmonds police shooting investigation includes possibility of gang violence

The 18-year-old victim remains in critical condition as of Friday morning.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River. Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council approves water, sewer rate increases

The 43% rise in combined water and sewer rates will pay for large infrastructure projects.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee proposed his final state budget on Tuesday. It calls for a new wealth tax, an increase in business taxes, along with some programs and a closure of a women’s prison. The plan will be a starting point for state lawmakers in the 2025 legislative session. (Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard)
Inslee proposes taxing the wealthy and businesses to close budget gap

His final spending plan calls for raising about $13 billion over four years from additional taxes. Republicans decry the approach.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

Everett
Police believe Ebey Island murder suspect fled to Arizona

In April, prosecutors allege, Lucas Cartwright hit Clayton Perry with his car, killing him on the island near Everett.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Snohomish first responders rescue pinned driver after vehicle catches fire

Excessive speed was a factor in the crash Friday, less than 12 hours after an earlier high-speed collision killed a driver 1 mile away.

A view of the Eastglen Wetlands that run through the Eastglen development on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Critics question proposed amendments to habitat ordinance

County council to consider amendments that would cut buffers around wetlands and streams up to half for development flexibility.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.