Stardate 1962. Some bright spark decides he needs a bridge to cross a river in Lake Havasu, Arizona. I can hear it now...
"Bill, We need a bridge"
"Yes, but surely we can buy a classy bridge, with some history"
"I know, let's go to London. They have some nice bridges"
"I've been. Why don't we buy 'the' London Bridge"
"Okay. Offer them some silly money for it. They can't refuse."
So that's what they did, They bought the London Bridge. The problem is they don't know that the London Bridge is actually a very naff standard arch bridge. They wanted the Tower Bridge, which to be honest I doubt would have been sold.
The story was told to me and everyone my age as a child that when the bridge was disassembled and reassembled in Arizona, it was only then that the Americans realised their rather poor mistake. Only being a proud race that couldn't possibly make a mistake on that scale, they now tell everyone they were doing us a favour by buying it, because it was falling down. Want proof? See here. The bridge that was falling down is shown above. It was the bridge built in the 1600's and was made of stone. The houses were typical of the age, timberframed houses built on top of the bridge. Is it any wonder it was falling down?
Still... I bet they still think they are right *snigger*
