Historic Bridges of the U.S. | Lost during 1950s

Antoine Bridge (Pike County, Arkansas)
Lost through truss bridge over Antoine River on AR 26 near Antoine
Replaced in 1953 by a new bridge

Argentine Boulevard Bridge (Wyandotte County, Kansas)
Built 1908; damaged by 1951 flood, removed 1959
Lost through truss bridge over Kansas River on Argentine Boulevard, 18th Street in Kansas City
Removed but not replaced

Bailey Bridge (Benton County, Missouri)
Built 1908; collapsed 1954
Lost swinging bridge over Osage River, near the end of Route KK southwest of Warsaw
No longer exists

Bayou Bartholomew AR 11 Bridge (Lincoln County, Arkansas)
Lost pony truss bridge over Bayou Bartholomew on AR 11 east of Star City
Replaced by a new bridge in 1954

Boeuf River US 82 Bridge (Chicot County, Arkansas)
Replaced 1950
Lost pony truss bridge over Boeuf River on US 82
No longer exists

Bourbeuse River Twin Bridges (Franklin County, Missouri)
Replaced 1958
Lost pair of through truss bridges over Bourbeuse River on US 66 (now I-44)
Replaced by new bridge

Crooked Creek AR 14 Bridge (Marion County, Arkansas)
Lost through truss over Crooked Creek on AR 14 in Yellville
Replaced by a new bridge in 1959

Cypress Bayou AR 31 Bridge (White County, Arkansas)
Lost through truss bridge over Cypress Bayou on AR 31
Replaced by a new bridge in 1955

Escambia River Bridge (Escambia County, Florida)
Replaced 1955
Lost Pratt pony truss bridge over Escambia River on Us90 Sr10 in Pensacola
Replaced by new bridge

Etowah River Bridge (Bartow County, Georgia)
Built somtime in the 1840's, this was the bridge that The Great Locomotive Chase passed over April 12th 1862 during the Civil War, was burned and rebuilt several times during the war, used until 1954 when the railroad was rerouted over a new bridge
Lost deck truss bridge over Etowah River on Western & Atlantic Railroad, stone piers are all that remains
Removed

First Cairo Railroad Bridge (Alexander County, Illinois)
Built 1889 under engineer George S. Morison; replaced 1949-52
Lost through and deck truss bridge over the Ohio River carrying the Illinois Central Railroad in Cairo
Replaced by the current bridge, reusing many of the piers in the process

First Jefferson City Bridge (Cole County, Missouri)
Opened Oct. 15, 1896; demolished 1955
Lost through truss swing bridge over the Missouri River at Jefferson City
Replaced by the current US 54 bridge, but vestiges of south approach remain at end of Bolivar Street

First Manzanola Bridge (Otero County, Colorado)
Built 1908; replaced by the Manzanola Bridge in 1950
Lost three-span through truss bridge over the Arkansas River near Manzanola
Replaced by a new bridge

First Valley City Rail Bridge (Scott County, Illinois)
Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Illinois River on former Wabash Railroad in Valley City
Replaced by new bridge just down stream from the original.

Frenchmans Bayou US 61 Bridge (Mississippi County, Arkansas)
Lost through truss bridge over Frenchmans Bayou on US 61
Replaced by a new bridge in 1954

Irons Fork AR 88 Bridge (Polk County, Arkansas)
Built 1907
Lost two-span through truss bridge over Irons Fork on AR 88 east of Mena
Replaced by a new bridge in 1955

Kaskaskia River Bridge (Washington County, Illinois)
Built 1921; main span replaced 1957 with using existing approaches; entire bridge replaced 1996
Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Kaskaskia River on IL 160/177 (was IL 15 at the time)
Replaced by new bridge

Kingwood Tunnel (Preston County, West Virginia)
Bored 1852; Subsequent work 1903 and 1912; Abandoned and sealed 1950
Tunnel on former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in Tunnelton

Meredosia Railroad Bridge (Morgan County, Illinois)
Built 1857 (estimated), last train crossed tracks in 1955, dismantled after a new railroad bridge in Valley City opened but one pier still survives
Lost through truss swing bridge over Illinois River on railroad
was built just downstream of the highway bridge

Millport Covered Bridge (Knox County, Missouri)
Built 1872 by William Hudson; collapsed ca. 1954 and replaced by a pony truss bridge
Lost covered bridge over Middle Fork Fabius River at Millport
No longer exists

Mingo Creek Bridge (Tulsa County, Oklahoma)
Built c. 1920; replaced with steel stringer bridge 1958.
Lost Warren pony truss bridge over Mingo Creek on E. Pine St. in Tulsa
Replaced by new bridge

Old Valley City Rail Bridge (Scott County, Illinois)
lost through truss swing bridge on the former Wabash Railroad, just upstream from current rail bridge
Lost Through truss bridge over Illinois River on former Wabash Railroad, dismantled 1959
Replaced by new bridge

Parkin Bridge (Cross County, Arkansas)
Lost swing through truss bridge over St. Francis River on US 64 at Parkin
Replaced by a new bridge in 1954

Pere Marquette Railroad High Bridge (Manistee County, Michigan)
When built, it was the highest rail bridge in Michigan hence it's name. Wooden bridge replaced in 1947 with Steel structure. Unknown when removed, put piers are still visible. At one time only bridge nearby so it was used by locals to walk across.
Lost Bridge over Manistee River on former Pere Marquette Railroad in Wellston
Lost

Saline River US 70 Bridge (Sevier County, Arkansas)
Lost two-span pony truss bridge over Saline River on US 70 west of Dierks
Replaced by a new bridge in 1950

Saline River US 79 Bridge (Cleveland County, Arkansas)
Replaced 1956
Lost through truss bridge over Saline River on AR 3 (later US 79) south of Rison
Replaced by a new bridge

Sandy Creek Route KK Bridge (Cape Girardeau County, Missouri)
Replaced by a culvert in 1955
Lost bridge over Sandy Creek on Route KK, east of Friedheim
No longer exists, but stone abutments still visible

Spring River Swinging Bridge (Randolph County, Arkansas)
Built 1936 by the Works Progress Administration; destroyed by fire in 1951 under mysterious circumstances. Current bridge built 1992.
Lost swinging bridge over Spring River next to AR 361 between Black Rock and Old Davidsonville
Bridge destroyed, but some vestiges remain, including a standing tower, a fallen tower, some cables, and some approach piers

Tavern Creek Route A Bridge (Miller County, Missouri)
Replaced 1958
Lost swinging bridge over Tavern Creek on Route A, northwest of St. Anthony
No longer standing, but west abutment and east anchor still visible

Terre Noire Creek AR 26 Bridge (Clark County, Arkansas)
Replaced 1954
Lost through truss bridge over Terre Noire Creek on AR 26
Replaced by a new bridge

White's Creek Covered Bridge (Wayne County, West Virginia)
Built 1877; Replaced by modern bridge in 1957
Lost Howe truss covered bridge over Whites Creek on Big Sandy Road
Lost

Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge (Bucks County, Pennsylvania)
Built 1903 after wooden bridge destroyed, destroyed by flooding in 1955, replaced by Scudder Falls Bridge
Lost Warren through truss bridge over Delaware River on Unknown in Yardley
Destroyed by flood

Zolfo Springs Bridge (Hardee County, Florida)
Replaced 1956
Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Peace River on Sr 64 in Zolfo Springs
Replaced by new bridge