If you visit Vermont and are looking for unique historic bridges, this one in Brookfield is the one to check out because of its history and design. Caitlin O’Shea of Preservation in Pink has the story….
This week’s BHC Pic of the Week takes us back to 1998 and to the state of Iowa. Starting north of Albert Lea, MN and emptying into the Cedar River near Janesville, the Shell Rock River is a river full of surprises as far as bridges are concerned. As many as ten through truss bridges, two bowstring arches, one steel viaduct and five concrete arch crossings once spanned one of the shortest rivers in the state, which crosses four counties in Iowa (Worth, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Butler and Black Hawk) and one in Minnesota (Freeborn), including the longest Pennsylvania through truss bridge in the state, the Traer Street Bridge in Greene, the Gates Truss Bridge at the Floyd- Butler border, a Thacher through truss bridge near a dance hall near Northwood and the Rock Grove Bowstring Arch Bridge near Nora Springs. All four of them were no longer in service when I explored the river in 1998-99. At that time, we had half of these historic bridges still standing…..
……including two in the village of Plymouth in Cerro Gordo County, both of them through truss spans. Yet they replaced two iron bridges that were destroyed in accidents, according to records from the highway department in Mason City. This bridge was one of them, located north of Strand Park just outside of town.
The Pratt through truss bridge had M-frame portals and riveted connections. It was 100 feet long but a vertical clearance of about 12.5 feet from the road. It was built in 1950 replacing a truss bridge which was destroyed when a collision involving a car happened there. Unfortunately one person was killed in the incident. The bridge had been built at a sharp angle, which was typical for construction during the last three decades of the 1800s. The truss bridge that was destroyed had existed since the early 1880s, according to records. Because of the scarcity of steel and gravel for bridge construction combined with recovering costs from World War II, the bridge was built cheeply, using a standardized design created 25 years earlier by the now present-day Iowa DOT.
The bridge looked just like new when I first visited the structure in the summer of 1998. The best shot was the portal shot as it was flanked by trees on both sides. Nevertheless, I was impressed that it was kept up as well as it did. I visited the structure again in the fall, where I found the city’s other structure on the south end, and once more with my wife in 2005 enroute to Minnesota for my Grandma’s 90th birthday party. No weight limit nor any rust or other problems.
Still the height was an issue and that led to its demise in 2010. It was one of those acts which was senseless because it was such a young bridge. Nevertheless, it represented progress , something which makes me ask myself whether it was a necessity to take a piece of history away when it still had a lot of life left in the gas tank.
Bridge Nr. 226, the tallest viaduct along the Railway. Source: A.M.Hurrell via Wiki Commons
The railroad line is 96km, it has 107 tunnels, 900 sharp turns and around 850 bridges!!! It was first brought up by a journalist of a newspaper in Delhi in 1847, but it took 66 years, including the actual construction of eight years before it became a reality and opened to traffic in 1903. The line crosses rugged mountains and forests, crossing steep valleys and giving rail passengers with the most awesome views but at the same time the biggest whiplashes because of its sharpest curves of up to 48° angles! Nevertheless, the journey is worth the experience if you want to travel on the wild side.
The Kalka-Shimla Railroad is a narrow-gauge railway located in the Himachal Pradesh Province in northern India, located two hours by bird flight south of Kashmir. Connecting Kalka with the province’s capital, the railroad line has one of the highest density of bridges in the world, with one crossing every kilometer, predomonantly built of brick and including one of the world’s highest bridges, The Art Gallery Bridge (known as Bridge Nr. 226), a 91-foot tall bridge built in five layers of arches. Its height competes with the four brick viaducts in the Vogtland Region in Saxony.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society has put together a tour guide of the bridges and tunnels along the Kalka-Shimla Railway to provide you with an insight of the structures that exist in this mountainous region laden with forests and deep valleys. It looks at some of the best structures one can see while traveling the route or hiking in the region.
Click on the link below to access this guide and enjoy reading about the structures. 🙂
According to PennDOT, at least four truss bridges- two through and two pony- are set to be rehabilitated this summer. Each one is over 125 years old and eligible for the National Register. Details here in the article.
This week’s Postcard Friday feauture takes us to the city of Timmendorfer Strand, located along the Baltic Sea coast, northeast of Lübeck, the third largest city in Schleswig-Holstein. It is also located NE of Hamburg. We spent a few days in one of the most overpriced, rich man’s community in northern Germany, which is laden with a mixture of colonial and modern houses, large properties built-up and beaches where only Strandkörbe are allowed- no tents or beach tents (Strandmuschel) on the beaches, period. More on that will be mentioned in the Flensburg Files in due time.
During our stay, apart from a good swim in the icy-cold waters, a visit to a book store focused on Japanese culture in a house that follows that country’s typical architecture, and photographing some of the architecture in the resort town- it looked nice, given the high value of the property- there was a flea market that took place in one of the houses that was owned by an old lady who had passed away weeks before we arrived in July. One of the first things I did was find postcards, only to find old photos which depicted her during her life that consisted of journeys to some of the most exotic places in the world.
It included this aqueduct, which dates back to the Roman times. There were over a dozen pictures, with and without her, at this unique crossing:
It definitely showed her enjoying the scenery in this rather rocky area. She had a great life as a traveler. 🙂
Now over to you: Using the hints given, where do you think this aqueduct is located? Country and city location are needed. Wishful thinking are the name of the bridge and its history. Feel free to comment in the section below and in the Chronicles’ social media page.
Grand Re-Opening Ceremony to take place on May 10th
BRIDGEPORT, OKLAHOMA (USA)- 38 spans and 3900 feet. The total length of the Pony Bridge spanning the South Canadian River. Originally scheduled to reopen in 2025, favorable weather conditions, combined with fast-tracking on the work, has led to the bridge to reopen much earlier than expected. As you can see in the most recent photo by Ken Turmel, the bridge has been reassembled with a new coat of paint, new decking and new railings. Now it’s just a question of marking the road and getting ready for the big celebration.
May 10th is the date you should mark on the calender. It’s that day that the grand re-opening will take place at the bridge. According to Route 66 News:
The gathering starts at 3:00 with music, food, and tours from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to show the public how this bridge was rebuilt, keeping the historic trusses to emulate the visual impact this bridge has had for the last 90+ years.
At 5:00, several speakers will talk about the project and the upcoming Route 66 Centennial in 2026. Afterwards, they will lead the first crossing over the new span as it is opened for all to use.
The Pony Bridge was built by the Kansas City Bridge Company in 1933-34, using the standardized truss design by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The truss design was Camelback with riveted connections. At 3944 feet, it’s the second longest bridge along Route 66, which was created in 1926 and ran from Chicago to Los Angeles, via St. Louis, Tulsa and Santa Fe. It was discontinued in its entirety by 1979 when it was supplanted by the Interstate Highway. The Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis is the longest bridge along the route. It has been a posterboy, used in media, including the Grapes of Wrath (filmed in 1939).
The bridge was disassembled with each truss span having been sandblasted and repainted. The roadway was widened and the trusses were reassembled afterwards. Judging by the photo of the restored bridge, there’s little difference to see except for the widened decking:
Cars traveling on the Pony Bridge before its restoration. Photo taken by Nathan Holth in 2016
The reopening of the bridge will coincide with the opening of the Chain of Rocks Park, which occurred last weekend, and work is ongoing to make points along Route 66, known by many as the Mother Road, fit by the time 2026 comes around. That year will mark not only the 250th anniversary of the United States; it will also mark the 100th anniversary of the US Highway system, of which Route 66 was one of the first highways that was designated, along with the Lincoln Highway (US Hwy. 30).
For many, the bridge’s return will be a godsend, as it will reserve Bridgeport after a shorter than expected absence. For many highway and bridge enthusiasts, the Pony Bridge will reopen to its old glory as it will continue to serve traffic for generations to come. It’s one of the key fixtures along the highway that one must see once in a lifetime.
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Event:
Reopening of Pony Bridge
May 10th 3:00- 5:00pm; Bridge to reopen to traffic after 5:00pm
Venue: Pony Bridge along Route 66 in Bridgeport, OK
Marty Smith brought this mystery bridge up to my attention recently when he submitted a pair of photos via Messenger. They were taken by his great-uncle from a long time ago, who originated from Patolka in Marion County, Illinois. These pics were from 80+ years ago. According to him, this may have spanned the Wabash River, even though the river is located much towards the middle than in the western part of the state, towards St. Louis. It’s closer to the Mississippi River. There are two rivers that flows past Patoka: the Kaskaskia River to the west and Deer Creek to the north. The Carlyle Reservoir is five miles west of the town of 340 inhabitants. Smith also indicated that his great-uncle had visited his brother (the grandfather) in Indianapolis, which is why the Illinois River should also be included in the mix of clues to finding more about the bridge.
As far as the bridge is concerned, the structure has a Warren through truss design and featured a continuous cantilever span with a single through truss span each on the outer end as approaches. Judging by the riveted connections, it was most likely built after 1920. The bridge has more likely been extant, having been replaced with a modern span.
Now it’s over to you: The question is where this bridge was located, apart from the fact that it was within a 100-mile radius of Patoka, IL. Yet we should keep the Illinois River under the radar. And what do we know about its story- when it was built (and by whom) and when it was replaced.
Feel free to research and comment about it. Your bridge matters! ❤
While we’re on the topic of bridges in Spain, I came across a tour guide done by a local from Valencia that focuses on the city’s bridges- from ground level! Each one has some interesting facts about the history and unique design, including one built by world-renowned engineer, Santiago Calatrava.
Pittsburgh has one of the highest number of bridges in the world, ranking it up there with Hamburg, Berlin (Germany) and Venice (Italy), with over 2000 structures. It is also a treasure chest when it comes to structures originating from different eras, each one having a history. But each bridge is a photographer’s dream as it can be photographed from different vantage points and at any time of the day.
And this is where this week’s Bridge Pic comes in. This was photographed by Todd Wilson, who has an Instagram page on Pittsburgh’s unique structures. And it shows one of the Three Sister Bridges reflecting on the clear waters of the Allegheny River. Built in 1926-28, the the spans featured self-anchored suspension bridges with signature gold-colored arch towers. They were renamed after Rachel Carson (this photo), Roberto Clemente and Andy Warhol, three prominent celebrities who left a mark in American history who has roots in the Steel City. Most recently, they were renovated from top to bottom, which included new decking and paint, plus modern LED lighting- for the towers and for the ornamental street lamps. It started in 2009 and concluded with the rehab of the Rachel Carson in 2020.
Nevertheless this bridge’s beauty, reflecting off the river, got me into writing a poem about reflections from the bridge, asking about the meaning of life, the what-ifs and whether it is too late to change or not. One should remember the implications changes have on the people around you. Have a look at the poem and enjoy! 🙂
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 