B. Horrigan, funding was not secured until 1919, when Charles G. Huber of the Union Bridge Company sold $49,000 worth of stock to finance the project, despite the country being in the grips of the Post-World War I recession.

The significance of the bridge is partly reflected in the beliefs and expectations of local and state residents who perceived the dedication as a history-making event, bringing together people from across the state; a gala affair that included speeches, car caravans, picnics, street dancing, and carnivals.

Not only did it transform the nickname "Twin Cities" into reality, but it was also a major crossing of the Columbia River, thereby making it an important part of the transcontinental Yellowstone Trail,[9] and marked the first time that eastern and western halves of the state cooperated in the construction of something that was beneficial to both.

[11] In 1980, citizens of both Pasco and Kennewick voted in favor of its demolition, which then triggered a review by the FHWA to determine if any alternative uses could save the bridge from destruction.

[14] One pier, as well as several wood and concrete footings portions several meters above the river bottom only visible while scuba diving, remains and serves as a scenic lookout from which the newer bridge may be seen.