Ohi-o!

I never knew that Cincinnati had a bridge for "purple people."  I guess this gives the song "purple people eater" new merit.  However, today we went across the "Purple People Bridge" designed by M.J. Becker, to go from Newport, Kentucky to Cincinnati, Ohio.

The purple bridge was once used for all traffic.  There are remnants of a narrow two lane road, a pedestrian lane and on the other side of the bridge was a train line.  It was last used for automotive traffic in the 1970's, by then automobiles were much larger and according to Uncle Rick the buses took up most of the bridge as would go across.

It also had a bridge walk that allowed pedestrians to walk up flights of stairs along the top of the structure and stop in the middle above a plexiglass section.  It has since been converted to a pedestrians only bridge.  Planters of beautiful flowers have been added and the train side of the bridge has been closed off to traffic.

In addition to the purple bridge there are at least three other bridges.  There's "Big Mac,"  the "York Street Bridge,"  and the "Blue Bridge" that is a suspension bridge modeled after one of the bridges in New York. 

Afterward we went to the Cincinnatus Park, which runs along the Ohio River to the International Garden.

Located in between the parks is one of the first "water works" in the country.

What is left, is more the shell with the remnants of metal piping running through the walls and the remainder of a cistern.  Many of the original windows were bricked up or blocked with metal bars. Parts of the fourth wall have been removed and a park has taken over the interior of the original building.

The walk along the Kentucky side of the river was a charming little shopping and dining area.