While a bridge was desired by both counties, there was disagreement about the location. Glenn County favored the Hamilton City location to support Hamilton, in Glenn County, and the sugar beet industry; Butte County favored a location closer to Chico, in Butte County. The deadlock was broken by influence of Swiss-born Vincenzo Gianella, a Butte County large landowner and sugar beet farmer.[2][3]
It was replaced by a concrete highway bridge and was removed in 1987.[3]
Nonetheless, the swing bridge remains listed on the NRHP as of 2013.[1]