The Claiborne Pell Bridge, more commonly known as simply the "Newport Bridge,” has graced the skyline of Narragansett Bay for 50 years. At the time of its opening in 1969, the bridge was celebrated as a major commercial breakthrough and a marvel of human engineering. But decades of social and political conflict nearly prevented the span from ever becoming a reality. Read more here.

The documentary, a Rhode Island PBS Original, includes never-before-seen footage of the original construction and shares the untold stories of the engineers, iron workers, divers, and political and community patrons who brought the project to fruition.

Ultimately, the completion of the long-awaited span would serve as a testament to the indomitable will of those who advocated for the bridge, and as a lasting tribute to those whose labors erected New England’s longest suspension bridge and Rhode Island's most recognizable landmark.

The Newport Bridge: A Rhode Island Icon was funded in part by