The bridge was named after James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin in 1862, a colonial administrator and diplomat who had served as Governor-General of Canada and India.

[2] In 1822, a wooden footbridge was built under the direction of Lieutenant Philip Jackson and it was officially named Presentment Bridge.

[4] Cavaliere Rudolfo Nolli, an Italian sculptor, designed the cast iron lamps on both sides of the bridge.

Bronze plaques, each with a lion standing in front of a royal palm tree engraved on it, can also be found below the lamps.

[6][7] This was first announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on 3 August 2019, where the Padang is included as a future National Monument.