09/04/2026
Thank You, Neal Adams !
The City of Perryville would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Neal Adams for his incredible work documenting the transition of the Chester Bridge to the Don Welge Memorial Bridge.
What started simply as a hobby has grown into something that has made a remarkable impact far beyond our local communities.
Throughout this entire process, Neal has dedicated countless hours to photographing and creating videos that document the bridge’s construction from beginning to end. His videos have reached millions of people, with many of his posts receiving 1.2–1.5 million views.
But perhaps the most meaningful part of Neal’s work is the impact it has had on individuals. For example, Neal has been told by a new engineer that they chose to pursue engineering because of his videos. What started as a hobby has inspired someone to choose a career and follow a passion of their own.
His work has also made its way into classrooms around the world. Neal was contacted by a professor in Russia, who asked if they could use his videos to teach their engineering class. His videos have been used by professors and educators alike to help students better understand engineering and see the work behind a project like the Don Welge Memorial Bridge.
Neal’s documentation has also given those who designed and worked on the bridge an opportunity to experience the project in a unique way. An engineer with Parsons, the group responsible for designing the bridge, reached out to Neal to thank him for his videos. Because of Neal’s documentation, the engineer was able to see his work come to life and be more involved without having to make the commute every time he wanted to see its progress.
His videos have also given the people who worked on the bridge a way to share their accomplishments with their families. One of the workers had the opportunity to show his son the work he had been a part of and proudly share what he helped accomplish. Moments like this are a reminder that Neal’s videos are capturing more than just the construction of a bridge; they are capturing the people, hard work, and stories behind it.
Neal’s work has made such an impression that Parsons invited him to attend one of their seminars in Indiana, another incredible example of how far his passion and dedication have reached.
As a special gift to our community, Neal presented the City of Perryville with the top bridge light from the Chester Bridge. The bottom bridge light was gifted to the City of Chester, giving both communities a meaningful piece of the bridge’s history to preserve for generations to come.
What began as something Neal did simply because he enjoyed it has grown into a way of educating students, inspiring future engineers, connecting engineers with their work, giving families a glimpse into the work their loved ones helped create, preserving local history and sharing an incredible project with millions of people around the world.
Neal, the City of Perryville and all our citizens thank you. Thank you for your time, your passion, your dedication, and the countless hours you have spent documenting this incredible piece of history. Most of all, thank you for thinking of the City of Perryville and giving us a piece of the Chester Bridge that we will proudly preserve.
We are grateful that you chose to share your passion with our communities, and with the world.
