Samish River Bridge

It is unknown when the first bridge was constructed over the Samish River on the road between Burlington and Alger. The earliest I could find concerning a bridge over the Samish River north of Burlington was on June 2, 1892 when Silas Butler was paid $37.50 for tending the Samish River bridge. In 1893 or 1894 a new wooden bridge was built over the Samish River most likely north of Burlington. The bridge over the Samish River near Edison was built in 1884 and the bridge over the river near Allen was built in 1920. On October 8th 1908 the Butler Bros. were paid $11.85 for lumber used on the Samish River bridge.

In 1931 the Lake Samish branch extending from Burlington in Skagit County to Bellingham in Whatcom County was added to State Road #1 now known as U.S. Highway 99. Chuckanut Drive then became U.S. Highway 99 Alternate. This gave motorists 2 ways into Whatcom county. The Lake Samish branch of the Pacific Highway was then realigned from the railroad tracks at Bellevue (Just north of Burlington) to about 3 miles north of Alger. Between Bellevue and the Fish Hatchery the new road runs on the old Great Northern right-of-way.

Over the Samish River a new bridge was constructed. In 1933 Contract #1766 was awarded to D. Nygren for construction of a 385 foot steel truss bridge over the Samish River for a cost of $43,270.00.

The bridge was completed on June 20, 1934 and is still in use today.