“Don’t make fun of the Butt.” “That sounds like the bad end of a joke,” said Tyrone Bush. He was among the casualties aboard the steamship Titanic in 1912. The bridge was erected in 1914 and dedicated by President William Howard Taft, a personal friend of Butt's. “I am, absolutely. Courtesy of Georgia Archives, Office of the Secretary of State “Don’t make fun of the Butt.” “That sounds like the bad end of a joke,” said Tyrone Bush. 1649 and carries an average of 2,300 vehicles per day as of 2011. Sent by Walter Nemitz, son of G. F. Nemitz of Nemitz Sons Paint Factory, Hutchinson, to his sister Adela Nemitz while he was in the Army National Guard during World War I. The Butt Memorial Bridge, which spans the Augusta Canal, was erected in downtown Augusta in Butt's honor. Bridge. Butt Memorial Bridge is situated 3200 feet northeast of Medical College of Georgia Hospital. During the 1990s Augustans successfully demonstrated against efforts to demolish the Butt Memorial Bridge. Were you aware of that? It will be closed July 18, 2016. William Howard Taft was a friend of the Augusta native and dedicated the 1914 bridge, the first structure created to memorialize the Titanic disaster. The bridge is the only Titanic memorial in Georgia. Major Butt was born in Augusta on September 26, 1865. Well this wasn’t a joke back when it was built in ’31. The Butt Memorial Bridge is a road bridge in Augusta, Georgia that carries 15th Street over the Augusta Canal. Photo by Harry Kline. In Augusta there's no if's, and's or but's about it. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- The Butt Memorial Bridge, where 15th Street crosses the Augusta Canal is … The … April in Georgia History; Augusta Canal; Joseph Rucker Lamar (1857-1916) More … The Butt Memorial Bridge has a very unique history behind it. Both bridges will be restored and the underside decking replaced. It is dedicated to Major Archibald Willingham Butt, born in Augusta and a victim of the sinking of RMS Titanic. Description: Augusta, April 14, 1914. View NGE content as it applies to the Georgia Standards of Excellence. Local, Determined Eligible, or NR Historic District/Status: One of the early architectonic arch bridges in the state. Bridge named in memory of Archie Butt, aide to Taft and Roosevelt, who lost his life on the Titanic. Born and raised in Augusta, Archibald Butt led a less than desired childhood. Butt, a military man and close adviser to President William Howard Taft, died on the Titanic in 1912. Beautiful bridge though... And named after a true hero who saved many lives while losing his own on the Titanic! Archibald Willingham Butt Memorial Bridge eastside relief and plaque. See all 8 photos taken at Butt Memorial Bridge by 133 visitors. Harry Kline. W. Bertron, The Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D.C., U.S.A., a special page is devoted to the memorial services held for Archibald Butt in Augusta, Georgia. Photo: Sir Mildred Pierce, CC BY 2.0. Spanning the Augusta Canal, it is the only Titanic memorial in Georgia and honors the man born on September 26, 1865, Today in Georgia History. President Taft returned to Augusta for the dedication of the bridge in 1914, on the second anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. See 8 photos and 2 tips from 68 visitors to Butt Memorial Bridge. Recent plans to destroy the Archibald Butt Memorial Bridge in order to make way for better road and rail access have been dropped after strong opposition, and it still serves as a daily reminder to the residents of Augusta. By Mike Stroud, June 6, 2010. It is notable that the bridge was the first memorial erected to remember the Titanic disaster, and it stands today as the only memorial in Georgia dedicated to the disaster. (Submitted on August 4, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.) Ex-President Taft, a delegation of Masons, and member of the Butt Memorial association participated in the services. In Honor Of Archibald Willingham Butt Born in Augusta Sept. 26, 1865. It is notable that the bridge was the first memorial erected to remember the Titanic disaster, and it stands today as the only memorial in Georgia dedicated to the disaster. You Might Also Like . 7. Taft served as Professor of Law at Yale until President Harding made him Chief Justice of the United States, a position he held until his death in 1930. The bridge was erected in 1914 and dedicated by President William Howard Taft, a personal friend of Butt's. About This Project. A program of Georgia Humanities in partnership with the University of Georgia Press, the University System of Georgia/GALILEO, and the Office of the Governor. The Butt Memorial Bridge in downtown Augusta spans the Augusta Canal. Dedicated by President Taft in 1914. as the first and only memorial to the sinking of the Titanic in Georgia. Location: Georgia Significance: The Augusta Canal helped usher the Industrial Revolution into the American South. The Butt Memorial Bridge has a very unique history behind it. Summary of Significance:Butt Memorial Bridge was determined eligible in 1981. Former U.S. president William Howard Taft presided over the dedication of a new bridge over the canal in honor of Butt, who had served as his aide. Clearly the Butt Memorial Bridge meets all the criteria as being historical, but people seemed to really be aware of it’s name.