# London bridge **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 15, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041 "2003-06-15T16:53:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mantisman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@mantisman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mantisman)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/1 "2003-06-15T16:53:11Z")
I remember hearing a story a few years ago about a guy in Texas or somewhere who purchased London bridge, had it taken down and shipped out to the states for him. He thought he was getting Tower bridge and some spiv in Lodon made himself a fortune. Everyone I’ve asked remembers the story, but not when it happened (if it ever did). So c’mon guys, was there really a swindled texan with the wrong bridge? ---
**Author:** ![Deadmime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@Deadmime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deadmime)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/2 "2003-06-15T16:56:09Z")
I don’t know who bought it, but i do know that its in Lake Havasu, Arizona if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/3 "2003-06-15T16:56:59Z")
IIRC about 1968 it was sold to Lake Havasu City and is still there. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/4 "2003-06-15T17:00:53Z")
‘The London Bridge had survived many historic events, but not nature’s sinking forces. The Bridge began to sink into the River Thames and in 1968, the city of London decided to sell it for 2.5 million dollars to Robert P. McCullock, founder of Lake Havasu City.’ From: [http://www.desertusa.com/mag98/aug/stories/lkhav.html](http://www.desertusa.com/mag98/aug/stories/lkhav.html) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/5 "2003-06-15T17:10:52Z")
I should point out that this is the second London Bridge, the first, having been made of wood and lined with wooden shops, burned down. The third, which is still over the Thames, is a boring concrete thing. I heard somehwere that McCullock thought he was getting the more impressive Tower Bridge, and was disappointed when he realised what he’d bought - but that smacks of UL. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/6 "2003-06-15T17:19:52Z")
Story denied by Lake Havasu City at end of this article: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/1773560.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1773560.stm) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/7 "2003-06-16T00:23:05Z")
Does anybody know what McCullock wanted a bridge for? I mean, what does it bridge? Does it link one side of Lake Havasu to the other? Or is it just for show? ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge/182041/8 "2003-06-16T00:33:16Z")
Th bridge only crosses a tiny, artificial estuary from the river. He bought it because he could.