This first mystery bridge of 2020 presents us with a black and white photo of a bridge from a bygone era. Tammy Frank provided this to Workin Bridges and needs your help in finding some information on it. It’s a photo of a Lattice pony truss bridge, located in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Judging by the look of the car crossing it, it appears that the photo was taken between 1920 and 1925. The bridge itself has welded connections but it appears the truss style is bedstead Howe Lattice, one of the rarest truss designs built during that time because of the popularity of the other trusses (Pratt, Parker, Warren, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, etc.) Therefore that date of construction is around 1890-1910. The bridge is long gone, probably replaced 40-50 years ago.
The question is, what else do we know about the bridge? In particular, where in Beaver County, was this structure located?
Any information can be sent via mail but you can also post on the Workin Bridges website, where this pic can be found. Whatever is found, will be added to the bridge’s portfolio.
Thank you for your support and happy bridge and infohunting! 🙂
The first pic of the week since the move is actually a throwback to last year’s trip to the US. During a week-long stay in Pittsburgh visiting friends and doing some activities, we ran across the first of two bridges, spanning the tracks of the Norfolk and Southern Railroad at West Park. The two spans are nearly identical: Warren pony trusses built in three sets of ten panels (the middle one used to divide the street), each having V-shaped alternating vertical beams and vertical connections. Each were built in 1903 by the Fort Pitt Bridge Works Company in Pittsburgh. The only difference is the fact that they are located 400 feet from each other- one crossing at Ohio Street and this one at Ridge Avenue. Sadly, both spans have been closed for over a decade and were scheduled to be removed at the time of the visit. Yet during the visit in 2018, the two structures were still standing- rather untouched except by nature and walkers who can climb over or pass through the barriers to get to the nearby Children’s Museum on the east end. As both bridges are still standing as of present and are in a park setting, a word of advice to the City of Pittsburgh: If you are cash-strapped and are struggling to catch up on the infrastructural woes (and there are still some since the visit), why not rehab the bridge and make one crossing for cars and another for recreational purposes? It’s affordable. It can generate tourism- especially if you want to add plaques, picnic areas and the like. And it would solve the problem of forcing drivers to take a long detour, which is costly- both financially as well as for the environment. As we’re looking for ways to green up our planet and reduce carbon dioxide levels, it is something to think about.
Clarendon Bridge in Arkansas. Photo taken by C. Hanchey in 2012
Author’s note:This is the first podcast since the move and features all the events that happened over the past 2-3 weeks. The most current version of Newsflyer (for the week of August 5th, 2019) will follow.
Australian Traveller that loves to "Roam" our globe, creator of ENDLESSROAMING.COM sharing the experience through word and photography. Currently residing in my home of Newtown Sydney but hope to be back on the road late 2020. Feedback / questions are more than welcome, happy travels
Transport design, transport architecture, and transport's influence on art and culture. Part travelogue, part history, all transport (but sometimes tangentially so)
