It is named for Alexander Bonnyman Jr., a United States Marine Corps officer who was killed in action in the Battle of Tarawa during World War II.
[11] The bridge could not open, however, until the adjoining sections of the parkway on both ends were complete, and had to remain unused for more than three years.
[12] During this time, it faced multiple acts of trespassing and vandalism, including graffiti and damage to the navigation lights.
[11] In response to complaints from residents, the Knox and Blount County sheriffs' departments began to increase patrols of the site in the middle of 1990.
[13] The bridge was officially named in honor of Alexander "Sandy" Bonnyman on September 7, 1997, in a dedication ceremony.