LaGRANGE, Ga. (WRBL) — One of the last historic covered bridges in the Southeast has returned to its home in LaGrange. The Wehadkee Covered Bridge was originally built in 1873 by Horace King. It was designed to carry Harmony Church Road over the Wehadkee Creek at Cofield’s Mill. King was a “former slave, master bridge […]
More information about the covered bridge that returned home to Lagrange, Georgia this past week. More on the history of Horace King can be found in the link below:
Photo taken by Thorben Ecke via Instagram. Click here
For many reasons, I’ve decided to move up this week’s Pic of the Week to Sunday, one of them has to do with the current situation we are facing in Europe at present. We’re going back to Hamburg for this picture, which was taken by photographer Thorben Ecke. It shows a person crossing one of the Hafen City’s thousands of bridges, walking into the fog and when relating to the current situation, into the unknown. This photo has many meanings behind it, whether we look at it from our current point of view or else. It also marks a sign of transition as spring approaches and winter takes its leave, slowly but surely.
Mystic but sometimes also scary.
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The Chronicles would like to offer its support for those affected by the war in Ukraine, which has been ongoing since Thursday. It has a new logo that will appear from now on until further notice. If you want to donate to help the Ukrainians in need, here are a few links that will take you to the organizations that are accepting donations:
January 13, 1982 Construction began on a bridge between southwestern Brazil and northeastern Argentina. This project was a joint venture of those countries, with contractors from each working together to both design and build the bridge. It was completed in the fall of 1985, and inaugurated on November 29 of that year. The bridge carries […]
January 5, 2012 The Baluarte Bridge was dedicated in western Mexico. This structure is officially known as the Baluarte Bicentennial Bridge in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Mexican declaration of independence from Spain. That bicentennial actually took place in 2010, but construction on the bridge had fallen behind schedule. The Baluarte Bridge, which took four […]
Part 1 – The Bridge Builder As a white child of the Jim Crow South, I probably have little right to opine on Black greatness. But during Black History Month, I keep thinking about someone I have admired since I learned his story when I moved to Albany. He is seldom mentioned in the same […]
A covered bridge that was built by the son of this bridge builder is returning home to LaGrange, Georgia after a 57-year absence. More in the BHC Newsflyer on February 27th. A story about Horace King can be found in the link above. 🙂
Unless noted otherwise, all pics were taken by the author in 2011
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OZARK, MISSOURI- When I first became involved with Christian County’s historic bridges back in late 2010, we were at the beginning of a renaissance- a renaissance where our country was becoming more aware of the importance of historic bridges, and there were numerous exchanges of ideas and success stories on historic bridge preservation. The public was beginning to wake up and whenever they heard about a historic bridge that was targeted for demolition and replacement, they stepped forward to halt the plans and worked together to save these precious structures, those that played key roles in the development of America’s infrastructure and with it, bridge engineering. Myself, together with fellow pontists Todd Wilson, Nathan Holth, Bill Hart and the late James Baughn worked together with Kris Dyer and the organization to save the Riverside Bridge in Ozark, first restoring it onsite in 2012 and then after flooding caused damage two years later, relocating the bridge and restoring it at its new home at Finley Farms in 2020. The preservation movement gained a lot of support among the community and the county that they never forgot how important the Riverside Bridge really was to them- and still is today.
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After a double-success story which garnered a two gold medals in the 2012 Ammann Awards and three silver medals in last year’s Bridgehunter Awards, plus several other awards, there is hope that the Riverside Bridge story could be spread to three other bridges in Christian County. As mentioned in last week’s BHC Newsflyer podcast, three historic bridges are slated for replacement, though it is unknown how the county will fund these projects, let alone when they will be replaced remains open.
Which of these bridges are targeted for replacement? Three remaining “wild” truss bridges- bridges that are either open to traffic still or have been abandoned for only a few years, waiting for repairs or replacement so that the crossing is used again. The only common variable: Like the Riverside Bridge, these three were built by the Canton Bridge Company in Ohio. Specifically they are as follows:
Green Bridge
Location: Finley Creek on Smyrna Rd. NE of Ozark
Bridge Type: Pin-connected Pratt through truss with A-frame portal bracings
Dimensions: 281 feet long (main span: 119 feet), 11.8 feet wide, vertical clearance: 14.8 feet high
Date of construction: 1912; rehabilitated in 2004 & 2017
The Green Bridge is one of only three through truss bridges left in the county and also the last of the single span truss bridge. Like the Riverside Bridge, its portals feature the typical markings and the bridge builder plates with the name Canton on there. It’s one of the tallest in the county and one where even a train could cross it. It’s narrow enough that only one truck and one person could be on the bridge at the same time. This was my personal experience visiting the bridge with Ms. Dyer and a friend (and former high school classmate) of mine and his family. The bridge is situated in a natural habitat surrounded by forests on both sides of Finley Creek. A beautiful place for a picnic or a photo opportunity.
The Hawkins Ford Bridge is one of those mystery bridges, whose case needs to be solved before its ending as a vehicular crossing. It was relocated here in 1966 but no record mentions where its origin was. We just know that Canton built the structure in 1915 and that’s it. The bridge has been closed to traffic since 2017 and even though there are claims that justify its end of life, the bridge still has a chance at a new life for because of its bridge type, there are many ways to save it. The bridge is quite popular among locals, as you can see in the photos in bridgehunter.com.
Red Bridge
Location: Bull Creek on Red Bridge Road south of Ozark
Bridge Type: Three-span Pratt pony truss with pinned connections
Dimensions: 255 feet long in total (longest span 85.8 feet), 11.5 feet wide
Date of Construction: 1915; Repaired in 2005
The Red Bridge was built at the same time as Hawkins Mill but like the Green Bridge, it is located in a heavily forested setting and is a very narrow crossing- narrow enough that only one car and one person could fit, side by side. If there is one bridge that would need to be completely rebuilt, it is this one because of the piers that have been crumbling since my visit in 2011.
All three bridges are considered elgible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, but given Canton Bridge Company’s good track record with the county, let alone the company’s agent, these three structures should be on the National Register. In fact, given the fact that also the Riverside Bridge and Ozark Mill Bridge, now standing side by side at Finley Farms, have not been listed yet, there should be a historic bridge designation with the purpose of not only protecting them but also making them a tourist attraction, as it is being done with the covered bridges in Lyndon, Vermont (as mentioned in the most recent podcast).
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The bridges at hand here are no longer suitable for modern-day traffic and according to Christian County Highway Commissioner Miranda Beadles, the new structures would be two-lane to allow for all traffic to use them, especially emergency crews, school buses and utilities. But the county has expressed interest in saving the structures and is open to all options, including giving them to a third party. The question is what options are available? Here are a few worth considering:
Leaving them in place
This option has been practiced where historic bridges could be in place alongside the old one. For the three bridges, there is the option of making a park/rest area on the bridge, integrating them into a bike trail crossing, converting them into a fishing pier or leaving it as is. Advantage is that the relocation costs would be subtracted and the cost would only be allocated for repurposing them onsite, including the cost for the parking area and possible lighting. Plus it would allow for easier and quicker listing on the National Register. The drawback is the costs for ensuring that the bridge is not a liable risk. That means repairs to the structure, esp. with the Red Bridge, plus security and flood protection would be needed. But for this option, it is the most popular avenue for historic bridge preservation.
Relocating them
This was done with the Riverside Bridge already as Finley Farms purchased the structure and financed the restoration project. Normally relocating a bridge takes a lot of money, not only for the cost of disassembly and reassembly, but also the transport and the construction of the abutment and decking. In the case of the three bridges, there is the question of where to place them, though Ozark would be the best spot for these structures, be it as a city-wide bike trail network where these bridges would be showcased, or a bridge museum and/or park near the Finley Farm complex, or an open space where the bridges could be displayed and a new park would be created. That option would depend on the availability of space in town but most importantly, the interest in the community in this endeavor.
Integrating the historic bridges into the new structure
This practice is being done with several historic bridges, including the Route 66 Bridge at Bridgeport, Oklahoma, which will be considered the largest ever. And even though all three bridges would benefit from this “reconstruction,” including the National Register listing, the county has made it clear that the new structures would be two lanes, thus making Hawkins Ford and Red Bridges eligible, and the Green Bridge would be left out, its future unknown.
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The current status is as follows: the three bridges are scheduled for replacement but the county has not given up on them just yet. They are looking for ideas on how to reuse them. The interest is still there to save them. The question is how. The Riverside Bridge has shown us that when there is the interest and the way to preserve a historic bridge, nothing will stop it from making it happen. While the Missouri Department of Transportation has been literally busy working on replacing every single historic bridge on the map, competing with Maine, Minnesota and Wisconsin for the title of the first truss-bridge-less state in the country, there are some counties in the state and those along the Route 66 Corridor that do not subscribe to MoDOT’s point of view. The end of a bridge’s structural life does not mean the bridge must be torn down and replaced. And newer structures designed to last 100 years have turned out to have lasted a quarter of that time. With global warming and its disastrous implications on our environment, we have to rethink the way we preserve and replace bridges. We have to appreciate how bridges are built and make use of what history offers us by preserving what is left and using the playbook to build those that are adaptable to change and conform to the environment surrounding it. Truss bridges have played a pivotal role in doing both- as a bridge type that fits with nature and a bridge type that withstands floods and other natural disasters.
And this is where we return to the three bridges of Christian County and their futures. How should they be preserved? If you have any ideas, here are the contact details of people with whom you can share your ideas and ask more about them.
Then you have the following contact details of the Christian County officials:
Ralph Phillips:
rphillips@christiancountymo.gov
417-582-4302
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Lynn Morris:
lmorris@christiancountymo.gov
417-582-4304
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Hosea Bilyeu
Hbilyeu@christiancounty.org
417-582-4303
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Highway Administrator – Miranda Beadles mbeadles@christiancountymo.gov
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Christian County Commission
100 West Church St., Room 100
Ozark, MO 65721
Phone: 417-582-4300
Countycommission@christiancountymo.gov
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The Chronicles will keep you posted on the latest involving the three bridges and their futures, which are currently up in the air. Will they be saved and if so, how and which ones will benefit? All options are open at this point.
February may be coming to an end, but we still have a lot of winter left, especially in the northern half of the United States, where in the past decade, polar vortexes at this time of year, are the norm. These vortexes bring extreme cold temperatures and late winter storms laden with up to a foot of snow on average.
There are also signs that winter is not finished yet, as you can see in this picture provided by Pittsburgh Bridges (the link is under the pic). While American football is long since over, we still have a lot of hockey left. And if one cannot watch an NHL game with the Pittsburgh Penguines, why not enjoy a one-on-one game like we see here at Lake Elizabeth. Two people enjoying a game with a beautiful pedestrian arch bridge and Pittsburgh’s skyline as the backdrop. As long as your friend is not Happy Gilmore (see video below), it’s worth a few hours of fun. 😉
I’ve written before about wood bowstring trusses (good, bad, and weird) but I did not have this patent in front of me when I did, and it raises a few more questions. It plays a bit with the timeline of the US origin bowstring trusses and it brings up, again, earlier work in Ireland. Since…
This is a blog about my project of visiting every bridge over the Genesee River and what I learned about the history, structure, and natural surroundings of each bridge.
The Bridgehunter's Chronicles 