A large overhead plaque carried over from the original reads "Memorial to the Sailors and Soldiers of New Hampshire who gave their lives in the World War 1917–1919."

[2] Constructed between 1920 and 1923, the original Memorial Bridge was the first without toll to span the Piscataqua between Portsmouth and Kittery.

The bridge was constructed as a joint venture between the states of Maine and New Hampshire and the federal government, and dedicated as a World War I memorial.

[3] At the bridge's dedication on August 17, 1923, five-year old Eileen Foley—known then by her birth name, Helen Dondero[3]—cut the ceremonial silk ribbon to officially open it to traffic.

[citation needed] The Memorial Bridge rehabilitation project was placed on hold in 2009 because the winning bid for the contract came in $15 million over the intended budget.

[9] Originally, the road over the bridge was part of New England Interstate Route 1, also known as the Atlantic Highway.

[16] This plan was contingent on approval by the full legislature, an agreement with the State of Maine, and availability of federal stimulus funds.

[16] George Campbell, commissioner of the NHDOT, said at a Portsmouth City Council meeting in 2010 that the bridge was too far beyond repair for rehabilitation.

[citation needed] The new bridge was officially dedicated at a ceremony on the New Hampshire side of the span just before noon on August 8, 2013.