New River Gorge Bridge added to National Register of Historic Places

The New River Gorge Bridge has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced that the National Park Service has recognized the bridge as a significant historic resource by including it on the list.

The bridge spanning the New River near Fayetteville opened in 1977. With an overall length of more than 3,000 feet and an arch 1,700 feet long, it was the longest steel arch bridge in the world when it opened. It remains the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the United States, and it's the third highest bridge in the nation at almost 900 feet.