"S. 88 -- Sunshine Skyway, Looking South toward Manatee and Sarasota Countries on Florida's Gulf Coast. The Sunshine Skyway is one of the World's largest Bridges. Cost: Over 21 Million Dollars, Length: 15 Miles overall, Mainspan: 4.3 Miles Long, Height from water: 150.5 feet (at main span)." Postmarked October 23, 1956.
On the morning of May 9th, 1980 at 07:38, during a violent rain squall producing high winds and almost zero visibility the empty freighter Summit Venture slammed into the #2 south pier of the southbound span, it knocked 1261 feet of center span, cantilever, approach and roadway into Tampa Bay. Thirty-five people, most of them on board a Greyhound bus bound for Miami plunged 150 feet to their deaths in what is now one of the worst bridge disasters in history. Rescue crews and divers were immediately dispatched to the scene, but of the victims who made the fall there was only one survivor, whose truck had luckily landed on the deck of the Summit Venture. After the fatal accident, traffic was rerouted onto the two-lane northbound span, until the planning and completion of the new Sunshine Bridge which opened in April of 1987. History regarding the bridge gathered from the internet site: Sunshine Skyway Bridge Demolition where you can read more about the Sunshine Skyway Bridge disaster.
"Greetings from Florida" 9.F -- Tropical Florida Series, One-Cent Post Card.
"M.36 -- Fishing is Good at Indian Key Bridge, Overseas Highway -- in the Florida Keys Between Miami and Key West, Florida." Postmarked October 3, 1952.
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