The northbound span of the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges was the second of three bridges built in Henderson County in 1932, a building novelty during the
Great Depression. It was originally named the
John James Audubon Bridge, or
Audubon Memorial Bridge, after
John James Audubon, who lived in Henderson in the 1810s. It was built by notable bridge designer
Ralph Modjeski. The long
cantilever bridge cost $2.4 million to build, with the federal government paying half, with the states of Kentucky and Indiana paying the remainder. The dedication ceremony featured Kentucky Governor
Ruby Laffoon and Indiana Governor
Harry G. Leslie shaking hands with one another, as 22 military planes under the command of
Jimmy Doolittle flew overhead with cannon fire and boat whistles in the distance celebrating the occasion. A
flotilla of boats passed under the bridge, taking 40 minutes to do so and a parade lasting two hours also celebrated the occasion. More than 100,000 visitors attended the celebration and 111,091 vehicles crossed the bridge in its first two days of operation, creating delays of up to two hours to go from Henderson to Evansville. Originally, crossing the bridge required paying a toll, usually 30 to 35 cents for cars, and a nickel for pedestrians. The toll was removed on March 20, 1941. By the mid-1950s, it became apparent that the single two-lane bridge was outmoded. With it came plans for a second span to address congestion.