Nearly 50 years after attending Ball State University and jumpstarting his professional career, David Letterman would retire from his days on late-night television in 2015. Alongside his retirement were many of the set pieces and props that audiences from around the world have come to recognize.

While a majority of the pieces were discarded and kissed-goodbye, one piece escaped the purge and found it’s home here at Ball State University, joining the memorabilia collection donated by Letterman in 2015. The iconic Washington bridge replica arrived at Ball State Spring semester of the 2018-19 school year and was welcomed onto the David Letterman Learning Experience project with open arms. Since its arrival, the bridge has seen much admiration and care from students of the DLLE.

On April 13, 2019, students treated the bridge to its a total revival and restoration, wiping away dust and dirt, and sanding its edges until smooth. Legs speckled with a fresh coat of paint and tightening of its loose bones with new nails, the bridge now gleams like never before.

Graduate student Rebecca Rudolph said the act of restoration is important to the project team’s storytelling project. “One might say that this is just a bridge from a dumpster. But when I look at this item, I see all the opportunities to uncover its story. And by restoring the bridge, we are given the chance to enhance our ability to tell its story in new and exciting ways.”

We expect the bridge will make its debut during finals week in the Letterman Lobby alongside the two student-created pop-up exhibitions. This will provide students and the Ball State community outside of the project the opportunity to explore not only parts of the memorabilia collection but also the hard work and dedication of the students who have built the DLLE to what is today.

Story by Abby Hines.