Concerning the immediate prior posting by Ms. Will, I called the offices of the Miller County Commission today. The person I spoke with made an inquiry and I was told that they did not think the bridge had been removed yet but they were not certain. The quality of the information was not high but it sounds encouraging. It would be a wonderful thing if some way could be found to preserve this unique structure.
Was this the railroad that use to run through S bar F scout camp years ago? If so, what was that rail line? Where did go to and from and what was it for, and why did they remove it anyway.
I was just sent this information from my family and wondering if this bridge is still standing. If it is I think there are some things we can do to save it, including getting it listed on the National Register, maybe even a local landmark. I am intrigued by this bridge for the obvious reason of the name connection, but also as I am a structural engineer and historic preservationist. Which means I am very interested in protecting and saving unique structures such as the Kliethermes Bridge. If anyone could provide me with more information about the status of this bridge I would greatly appreciate it, as I would like to look into gaining some local protection for this bridge and in turn saving it from demolition!!!
The bridge was closed this year 2006 to Vehicle Traffic. No idea as to when it will open. Right now the State, township and county are saying they dont own it!
Grew up minutes away from here, I use to walk this bridge lots, isn't that what that hole in the fence was for. Once a RiverRat always a RiverRat. Moved to Barnhart Mo. but still only a couple minutes from my river. Thanks for the memories.
there is a train bridge north of lockport called black bridge.
What a tragic loss of a landmark. As a driver with a CDL I can say with certainy that this is an inexcusable error for a driver to make. Posted weight limits and bridge heights are not to be ignored due to the danger you put other citizens in and the cost that it takes to repair the damage. This is simply a mistake there is no excuse for. A pre-trip inspection involves such small details as making sure there are no stones between your dual wheels to cleaning loose debris off of your trailer landing gear...this is one of the most critical mistakes a driver can make.
The rumor that prisoners lived in cells under the bridge is true. My grandfather who lived in Amo, Colorado (a ghost town that use to be located at the corner of present day Curtis Rd. and Highway 94) told me the story many times as we passed over the bridge on the way to Calhan. As a young man he was a coal miner working some of the areas mines and did odd construction jobs as well. He told me that he did some sort of project work either on the bridge or near it and remembered seeing the chain gang that built it and the cells that were built directly beneath it to house the prisoners. The bridge is located on Highway 24 between the towns of Falcon and Peyton. Not sure if the cells are still there, it was rumored that they had to be torn out because kids were playing in them, but my grandfather did stop once when I was about 8 or 9 years old and showed them to me. It sounds like they are still there, it's nice to see that history still counts for something.
We left the Outlet Mall behind and headed on our adventure to the "Swinging Bridges". I was spectacular! First we went to this bridge and were a little leary, then exilarated when we crossed it. It was definitely worth the trip. Both bridges are an engineering marvel. We very reluctantly drove across the larger one as well, rolled down the windows, so we could get the full effect! What an experience. I work for a bridge contractor in Illinois, and they will be checking it out next time they are in the Osage Beach. What a fun way to spend an afternoon. It's only 10 miles from the hub bub of the city!
I was born in Miami County and am very familiar with
the Eldean Covered Bridge. My sister sent a newspaper
clipping of the restoration of this bridge and that
the History Channel was to have a program reguarding
the history of the bridge, however, I did not receive the
clipping until after the program was aired. My question
is will the History channel show this again, and if so
when, and if they are not is there a cd or tape that can
be purchased? I now live in California, but any thing that happens in Miami County or around Piqua and Troy is
of great interest to me.
Any information on Back to the Blue Print (Eldean Covered
Bridge)program I will be very interested.
Thanks your your interest.
Ruth Drake/Zduck
Drove the 10 miles from Osage Beach to explore the "Swinging Bridges" and it was well worth the drive. We walked part way across, then drove over and back. It was an amazing adventure...talk about fear factor...would do it again in a minute. Great family adventure next time you are in the Lake of the Ozarks...not much in Brumley, but bridges were worth the experience...Local traffic only sign doesn't exist. Was amazed at how much traffic the bridges got in just the few minutes we were there.
I love that bridge...my children and i went there the first week in august 2005. It is very beautiful there. I also took a couple of pictures. I'm hoping to visit there next year.
Do people who restore truss bridges make a point of hiding the very bridge they are restoring? Is there actually a truss bridge behind the wooden fort there?!
where is this bridge going to be relocated to?
This bridge was replaced in 2003. I live less than 5 miles from this bridge and can't believe I never took a picture of it.
This bridge is pretty cool to look at. Anyone can walk up near it (although it is barred off) and take pictures.
I think it would be a great idea to connect the West and East road ramp approaches to the highway for overflow traffic on the Poplar Street Bridge while still connecting it to the original route.
I think it would be great if they connected the East and West road ramp approaches to the highway as a back up for overflow traffic on the Poplar Street Bridge.
This bridge was completed and open to traffic approximately in 1940 not 1989. My father helped construct the substructure of the bridge which is why I was born in Baton Rouge in 1938.
Does anyone know the current status of this bridge? If it is still available, I would like to see confirmation that it is truly a Pan American bridge co. product. I am from New Castle, In. and a local group is looking for a New Castle made bridge to move. Any info or pix of bridge would be helpful. Thank you.
Soon to be removed, road is to be widened to 4 lane. I will attempt to get pics before it's gone.
In the early 1920's my Grandfather and his brother would walk 8 miles from where they lived in Meadville MO to Brookfield MO. Returning late from Brookfield they would often sleep under the protection of the bridge during inclement weather.
Can anyone tell me when the vertical steel structures at the ends of the spans that cross the river were added and what they are for? A photo from the mid-fifties shows no such structure, but on in the mid-sixties do show them. Are they additions made because of the 1950 flood?
That was 1 old Bridge.
One early memory, as a kid,
was the thrill of going fast,
with a friend;"Doc", driving his
"souped-up" 71 El Cameno SS, from
the MO. side up to the first ramp
so as to actually go airbourn!
...At least for a few secounds.
ok,
He had to get a runup to it.
;)
Well, it was fun.
I remember going across that Bridge,
almost every schoolday.
Our Bus, every morning, and afternoon,
went over that Bridge to pick-up,
or let-off, my many, old, school-friends
that went to McClure, Elem., and Shawnee Jr.,Sr.High.
It's still there.
I have just come from there.
It is still in use, yet very rusty.
I used to play pool
with the locals, and school-mates,
at the still remaining "Goods" store.
It wasn't open, and, to be honest,
it looked like it was/has been long shuttered.
Maybe I'm wrong.
Because I know, I saw,
that there are still people
living nearby in the few old houses
that still stand in that very old area.
Sincerely, Robert Boettcher
314.520.1182
The highway deck was closed to traffic in 1981 due to pavement deterioration. That same year the western ramp approaches were ripped out.
Does anyone know of a web-site where one could locate photos of the rescue effort when the bridge collasped.
I was working for the police dept. at the time and was on the dive team.
My great-great grandfather, S. Robison supposedly was one of the engineers for this bridge and died after the celebration of the finishing of it - falling from the bridge and dying later at home from the injuries. I am seaching for more information about his death and who he worked for. email me at eaeubanks@aol.com if you have any info.
this bridge sucks my nuts
I see that someone is tearing out the upper deck on the bridge. Too bad. I always wanted to get up there somehow and take pictures of the city.
That was a skinny scary bridge to drive on especially the curve going onto the bridge from the St Charles side and semis were even scarier when you met one in the middle of the bridge Boy those were the days!!!!!!!
This bridge will be sorely sorely missed. I remember when I moved here in the 80's and the bridge was falling apart with the spaces between the boards it was quite scary back then but it was improved to a usable bridge that was history to our county.
But there is one more bridge like it still standing in Lincoln County Thank Goodness!!!! Unless some dummy decides he dont know how to read weight signs
After seeing some wonderful photos of the State Line Road bridge, I can't help but ask some urgent questions:
First of all, who would think of relocating it somewhere else where its use is limited?
Secondly, anyone who thinks this bridge should be demolished has no clue on what they're talking about. Why raze it if it can be improved or refurbished from a structural standpoint?
True, this particular area of the Kankakee River has a real big dilemma with flooding, logjams, debris, etc. not only on the Illinois side but also in Indiana. But that's no reason why this bridge shouldn't be saved or rebuilt to meet every safety requirement you can name off the top of your head.
Anyways, if anyone hasn't checked out the bridge from other websites or personally, give it a go; it's one of three truss bridges in all of Lake County that deserve to stay where they are, not to wither into oblivion (like the Maple Street bridge in central Michigan) but to become of great historical value in the future.
I appreciate the pictures you posted of the bridge before we took it down, as I am a resident of Bennington, I just got lucky and was assigned to this project. I hated to see it go, but the arch trusses and deck were heavy enough they were crushing the piercaps and the column had major wear and defiencies when I excavated to the bottom of the footers to remove them. My job is bridge removal and replacement, but I love old bridges.
I walked under this bridge for the first time on Sunday. Beautiful little bridge. When it says "structurally deficient" in the inspection line item, is that to mean that it is dangerous to travel over and that it is in need of repair?
Oops, sorry. In the previous post, I should have said Minneapolis not Manhattan KS.
I have been "collecting" bridges of this type for about 14 years. This one was really worth saving for alot of reasons. In addition to being in good shape for the amount of traffic, it was the only one I've observed in Kansas that had the stream name in the cross ties rather than the usual date of construction. In addition, it still had signage associated with it that showed it to have been on the 1930s alignment of US-81. Further north of Bennington the older 1920s route of US-81 was still marked by unique triangular cross section mile markers on the (barely) two-lane brick route winding from Bennington into Manhattan, KS. I will be forwarding some pictures of those features soon.
Now that I see this bridge, Im wondering where did it cross the Mississippi River in St.louis? I been trying to figure out where does this line actually run in St.Louis and East St.Louis. So if you have answers, please email them to me. It would help so much.
I was just describing that bridge to my daughter the other day as we were driving around.
We called it the Grand Avenue Viaduct. It crossed the railyards just south of SLU. I used to go to the eye doctor in a large office building near SLU. Grandma would make an appointment for 4 o'clock or so. She would give me two dimes. One for the streetcar ride from St. Mary's HS to the Dr. office and one for the ride home. I had to use the first one to get there on time. But when I came out I had all the time in the world and a dime in my pocket. So I always walked from SLU to Humphrey Street. As I neared home there was a Velvet Freeze at Grand and Connecticut. I alays stopped and got a two dip Swiss Chocolate cone. Yummy.
I still remember crossing the bridge . The outer "sidewalks" consisted of huge creosoted planks. They were about 10 feet long (width of the sidewalk) and were probably 2X8's. The thing is they were loosish and had gaps between them. You could look straight down and see the trains and tracks about 100 feet below you. And the boards kind of moved under your feet. You can see the walkways on the picture.
I would like to cross that bridge and get a two dipper at VF one more time.
I crossed the bridge several times as a kid. My parents remember driving across it for years before it closed. My mother always said that the bridge terrified her when they drove across it.
It was believed that the collapse occured due to a lateral (outward) swinging of the bridge as opposed to the "normal" end to end swinging. This could have been possible due to occupant load and/or wind action.
My uncle participated in the rescue operation. He used a chain saw to cut holes into the decking. His said that the wood inside looked good and that the cables were rusty only on the outside. From 1 inch in, the cables were shiny.
Just can't pass this one up, it brings back some memories. My family moved to the Moselle area in 1969. The old bridge was in use then. We used to walk down to the bluff visible in the photo at the far end of the bridge and sometimes we would climb to the top. We also dropped a lot of huge rocks off the bridge for the big splash! In 1979 my wife and I moved to Moselle on the west end of town. In December of 1982 there was a massive flood on the Bourbeuse and Meramec rivers. The Meramec river washed all the railroad tracks off the fill from Moselle to the train bridge. The Bourbeuse river took out the old bridge. Based on the high water mark on the bluff I would estimate there was 5 to 10 feet of water over the bridge deck at the height of the flood. The bridge was washed about 200 feet downstream from which point it was cut up and removed by a salvage company. As best I can recall, this was around December 8-15 1982.
Its open to traffic.
This bridge is not called "Camp Pioneer Bridge" as there is a bridge over Twomile Creek at Camp Pioneer that is known by that name. As far as I know, the bridge is simply known as the "Mountain Fork Bridge" or "that old bridge near Potter."
9-2006
This tressle is being replace with an all concrete and steel version.
Link to the website for the current operator of the ferry: http://www.dorena-hickmanferryboat.com/directions.htm
How do u build this bridge
How do u build thsi bridge
We accidentally found this beautiful little town, Red Cliff. And it was on the day of their Artist's Studio Tours. It is a gem and the bridge is beautiful. Must see. Have lunch at Mango's.
I remember when this bridge was still standing. We used to fish Bay Creek when I was younger, and I always liked going under it. From what I remember, it was a through truss bridge (based on pictures of other bridges I've seen on here), with large cut stone block abutments (with the rounded-face style of block), and the deck was gone. It was mostly intact at that time, only a portion of the deck frame had been removed for boaters when the water level was too high to go under the bridge normally. The last time I was there the bridge had been completely removed, including the cut stone, and the approach has been flattened to creek level for use as a boat ramp. The "newer" bridge doesn't have nearly the character, unfortunately... It's the common highway brige.
There is (was?) a similar bridge nearby, closer to Bay City, over Barren Creek which had been bypassed as well. I haven't been that way in years, so I can't say if it still exists or not.
Seems I remember a bridge like this over the East Cadron Creek on either Wilson Bottoms Road or Clinton Mountain Road (the name changes near the bridge). That is about 3-4 miles north of Holland.
I have made a large pencil drawing of the bridge. It will be on exhibit at the gallery on Washington Street, "Art Matters" starting Tuesday, August 29, 2006.
I love this old bridge, and I love driving over it!
Oh and about that controversy about changing the name: don't ever change it! Thank you!
Hello. My name is Gretchen Ragle. My great-grandma is Frances McClugage. Her uncle was the mayor of Peoria who had this bridge built. Our family was very active in Peoria's community during that time. This is all I know please don't ask me about anything else. Thank you!
The bridge re-opened a few weeks ago. (Today is 8-24-06)
Side Note: The camps that lined Chef Hwy have been completely wiped out. Fort Pike, which is next to the Rigolets swing bridge, took a beating from Katrina. Also, the bridge at the Rigolets is open and the construction on the new bridge is progressing well.
This bridge did replace a structurally deficient center pivot bridge in 1917. Lift machinery was not installed until 1920. Originally only the northern fixed span and the lift span were double track with the remainder of the bridge being single track. Tennbridge is the official station name for the bridge.
The reason I am visiting this site is because I had a very nerve wracking experience on this bridge Thursday, August 10, 2006. A friend and I were travelling to Kentucky taking the southern route from our home and we were crossing the bridge during a storm and were stuck in the middle of the thing during this storm because of road construction (apparently it was down to one lane on the entrance side from the east going towards Missouri.) Needless to say we were quite scared as our car was moving all over as if were about to be blown off the bridge. It was a very scary event and I will never forget it. I'm trying to get into the Cairo, IL newspaper archives to see if there was some major weather event for that day but their newspaper has no archive link.
If anyone has any info on this, please send it along.
Thanks.
Is this bridge called Steel Bridge?vadatb@yahoo.com
The Washington Street bridge, built in 1906, will start to be torn down monday, Aug. 28th 2006. It was in the Dayton Daily News...most of the concrete arch bridges in the downtown dayton area will be torn down within the next 5 years. As Dayton being my hometown, this makes me sad :(
Went over this bridge on the bike just this evening, August 22nd 2006. The deck is now steel grate and the bridge is signed as one lane only. New, gated, apartment/condo complex at the top of the hill in Madison County will insure this old bridge remains in good repair for the forseeable future.
I walked across this bridge as a child in the early 60's with my Aunt Jean. It was still a toll bridge then. IIRC .05 for pedestrians.
Years later when attending UC and working as an auto mechanic in downtown Cincinnati I'd gladly ride my motorcycle to KY Motors in Covington for repair parts late at night after the all the other parts houses closed for the chance to ride this bridge. The steel deck made the bike dance like a dervish. After you were used to it it wasn't dangerous it was fun!
I kayak under this bridge all the time, and with a little bit of effort, you can put ashore here, and if you are brave enough, you can actually climb the concrete arch itself, all the way to its apex, where you are just a bare 4 feet below the roadway. Unforunately, this bridge, often referred to as "Yountsville Bridge" by local people, is a favorite graffiti sight for local teenagers, and as a result its aesthetic value has suffered, althought this is still a great bridge.
My friends and I embarked on a 185 mile kayak trip down the Wabash River, and as a result, encountered innumerable bridges... This bridge stands out very clearly in my memory though. At the time of our passage, the bridge seemed to be in similar condition as shown in the photographs, however; there was a rather large log jam in evidence, making passage even in kayak, rather difficult. Although we did take time to admire the enormous gear system, that allowed the bridge to swing at one point in time, these gears are still clearly visible from the water, however I don't know how well you will be able to see them from shore.
Popular with Cincinnati and northern Kentucky motorcyclists. Connects a loop ride up and down the river using US-52, KY 8 or KY 9/10 (the 'Double A' highway). The ferry makes a good photo op platform, too.
A quick ride east on KY 8 will take you to Dover, KY and the Dover Covered Bridge. This bridge (rebuilt) is still in use and is worth the ride. Ignore the spray painted graffiti.
This is the longest covered bridge still standing in Kentucky. The interior is a riot of spray painted graffiti. Last time I was there it looked like someone built a campfire on the floor. Sad, for this is truly an historic structure.
Many good motorcycle roads in the area.
The roadway of this bridge is a combination of steel grate and asphalt. It's a high bridge and is quite thrilling (scary) on a motorcycle. Area is subject to very dense fog.
I am somewhat surprised that this bridge was demolished, particularly as it was on a rural road that did not carry a large amount of traffic. This was one of the best examples of a single span Rainbow Arch bridge in Kansas and possible in the USA. It was also a rare example of a Rainbow Arch with 4 buttresses over the roadway. I am glad that I took several pictures of this bridge over the last few years.
Are there any citizens restorative organizations where some funding may be available to effect repairs on this bridge so it can be traffic borne once again. Please advise.
As of Aug 2006, Indiana and Kentucky have funded the environmental and engineering studies to begin the process of replacing this bridge with a modern structure. Location, design and cost for the new bridge may be shaping up to be a bone of contention. The fate of the current structure is also in question. Some interest in converting it to a pedestrian bridge has been expressed.
The Bend Road Bridge was demolished and replaced with a concrete structure in 2003. I have pictures of the new bridge, but sadly have no pictures of the old bridge which I used to cross as a scenic shortcut.
chef pass bridge has been closed to thru traffic since being damaged from katrina. does anyone know if it is open yet or when it will open?
I just ran across this site, and it sure brought back memories. In the mid-50's when I was just 5-8 years old, my mother used to drive this bridge to visit relatives in SEMO. We lived in Michigan at the time, and always seemed to go south in the spring just at flood season. Crossing this bridge used to terrify me. My mother was a real speed demon, and she would drive our 1950 Ford or later her 1955 Rambler across this thing at 65 mph. I used to crouch down in the seat or on the floor knowing that we were either to go right off the side of the bridge or be hit head on by one of the on-coming trucks.
I'm planning a trip next month and will probably drive the bridge again. We'll see if 50 years has erased the terror!
Hi...I am proud to be the great-granddaughter of George Beerbower, for whom the road was named. One problem... haven't had the pleasure of visit in my adult years. Will promise to return soon.
Jeanne Beerbower
This is my favorite bridge, as it is located about 20 minutes from my hometown. I always love to see the bridge as I went on trips to Montgomery.
The state of Kentucky has been trying unsucessfully for the past 7 years to paint this bridge. State inspectors were caught taking bribes from the first contractor, and the state kicked the contractor off the job. The contractor sued the state for breach of contract. The second contractor couldn't complete the job and was fired. The state is now trying to find bidders for the job, but in the most recent bidding, only one contractor bid on the job. Meanwhile, the Kennedy Bridge continues to be a rusty eyesore. Let's hope they can figure out a way to get it painted before it crumbles and falls into the river.
If this is the bridge I am thinking of, it's a draw bridge.
wow, this was a beautiful bridge, i am so sorry to see it gone..... thanks for the photos wayne so we can remember this lost bridge
If memory serves me well, the Frenchmans Bluff bridge accident is just one of many examples of sheer incompetence on the driver's part, not the DOT's, not the County Highway Department's either. Yes, you guessed right, it's the driver's fault & nobody else's.
As a semi driver, he should have (& is supposed to know) known that his truck - 19 tons of goodies or so - wouldn't have been able to make it across that bridge in the first place. I mean, you should realize how ominous the sight of a "Weight Limit 4 Tons" sign is, no matter where you place the sign. Talk about someone not only forgetting to do the math but also not realizing the consequences of ignoring a simple little sign that confirms how much weight the bridge can handle. (The end result is obvious enough so I won't go into it here.)
What a sad loss for our community.. as for some of the comments about not reading road signs, etc... the fact remains, the driver had to negotiate some pretty tough turns just to get to the bridge in the first place!
And that granted.. there was no place for him to turn around as well.. As another poster stated.. its actually better for us locals, (or tourists) for that matter, that he did back up... otherwise, someone else would've collapsed the bridge.
If any locals are reading this.. There are two gorgeous scenes of the bridge on the front and back cover of the Lincoln County Mirror (Winter2005) (not to mention the Lovely Leah, who used to be a checker at Wal-Mart)
I WAS BORN IN THE TOWN OF WEST HARTFORD,IF THIS BRIDGE IS ON THE CHURCH ROAD. WE USE TO GET UNDER IT DURING TORNADO STORMS WHEN I WAS A KID. MY GRANDFATHER ALSO WOULD GET GRAVEL OUT OF CREEK BED THERE.
I am helping knock down this bridge, and took several pictures of when the main arch trusses dropped. If anyone is interested in the pics email me.
It's nice to see this old bridge is still standing. I grew up in the area and haven't seen the bridge in over 40 yrs., but it still looks the same. The bridge was a turnaround point on our long school bus ride. I live in New Jersey now..you don't see covered bridges here. Enjoyed the photo.
This is the bridge that got me interested in old bridges. It's a huge bridge, it must be seen in person to be appreciated. Hopefully it won't be replaced for a long time.
This photo is NOT the St. Marys Bridge. This photo is of the New Martinsville Bridge, which is about 25 miles north of the St. Marys Bridge. In the foreground is the Hannibal Locks & Dam, located at the New Martinsville Bridge.
Hi,
I am not sure how much information I can give you about the bridge but whatever I can help you with I will. My older brother has more historical facts than I do. I know my Great (how many times ?) grandfather Nicholas McColly was in the War of 1812 and is buried there in the cemetery not far from the bridge and my dad always told me it was named after him. I have been trying to get more facts about all this myself but it is very hard. I have four brothers and one sister. Our dad passed away 2 years ago the 12 of this month. He was born and raised in Campaign County and had 2 sisters and 1 brother. The only other family still living is his neice and her family. I live in Tennessee but always come back to Ohio and visit family and love to come to the bridge and take pictures. When I get more information for you I will pass it on.
Can I ask why you are interested? If you have any facts or information please let me know also, thanks. Cathy
While we may not all be perfect, there is a line between a mistake and sheer stupidity. This falls on the side of stupidity. They have limits for reasons. If someone with a heart defect gets on a roller coaster, and dies, the blam should be placed on the person,not the coaster. The blame should be placed on the driver....not the bridge, not the state DOT, not the municipality...the DRIVER. A 19 ton truck on a 4 ton limit bridge? Let the guy put 20 pounds of gold, or silver, or whatever in a box that has a capacity of 4 pounds...would he take the time to take the safe way, or risk it on a gamble. This was a tragic instance of stupidity on the part of the driver...not the bridge...
I am so sorry to see that the Blackwell Bridge is gone.
One of my favorite photos is of my late Father, James Valle
on the old bridge when he was a young and very fit lead miner.
Its memory and His, will live on thanks to everyone who has preserved these images.
Best Regards,Gene Valle
Jonathan, you and Chris are missing a very important point. That would be the potential danger the truck driver put everyone living in that area in.
Thank goodness this man wasn't able to negotiate the curve after he first crossed the bridge. If he hadn't had to back up and try to negotiate the curve a second time, the bridge would, in all likelihood, still be standing and one of the locals could have crossed that bridge and THEN it would've collapsed.
No matter how you look at this event, common sense was not used. I know of two swinging bridges featured on this site that had deck failure due to overweight trucks:
Upper Swinging Bridge in Warsaw (5 ton limit): In 1975 a truck driver attemted to cross the bridge with his truck that weighed 40 tons. 100 feet of the deck collapsed and he drowned.
Beuchter Swinging Bridge in Miller County (2 ton limit): In 2000, a recent hire of the (county?) highway department attempted to drive his dump truck across the bridge. In his defense, there is a bad curve preceding the approach. It was said he didn't know about the bridge. The deck collapsed, the truck flipped upside down before it crashed into the creek and the driver drowned.
In addition to these two incidents, there was another incident back in 1965 where a farmer tried to cross a swinging bridge across the South Grand River near Warsaw in his farm truck (weighing an estimated 35-40 tons). Unfortunately, this tragedy also took the life of his wife and son.
With the exception of the Beuchter Bridge incident, all others were NOT mistakes. They were a result of a total lack of common sense.
I concur; it is indeed a terrible loss due to a rather foolish error. However, I also agree with Chris's comment down below:
"Posted Sunday, July 30, 2006, by Chris
I hate to see this bridge gone also, but hae even more to see a person being persecuted because of a mistake he made by all you you perfect people..."
I cannot believe the mean, spiteful comments people are saying...over a bridge! You know, things like, "Can't read; don't drive," "Stupid is forever," etc. How often does the average driver ignore signs on the roadway? Many of us do so every day! Remember, this man was a USPS truck driver, trying to get our stuff to us in a timely fashion. The same people complaining that he destroyed the bridge would have also been the ones calling the post office incessantly saying, "Where's my package?"
I am NOT justifying what the truck driver did; it was certainly NOT a smart move. But I am upset over how vindictive and fickle people can be. (Remember WWJD?) The same folks ready to lynch the truck driver would probably moan and groan to a state trooper at a traffic stop, reiterating, "I was only going 80," or "I'm only a little tipsy." And finally, as for the one comment praising Singapore-style laws and fines, if the writer likes them so much, then why doesn't he move to Singapore? I'm sorry, I know it sounds cynical, but if he likes living in a pseudo-Republic with pseudo-freedom, then he is free to go!
:-)
It is really ashame that another artefact like this bridge had to go because of unintellegence and neglect, like a driver going across a rather fragile bridge carrying a load that the bridge was never able to handle. As coach T. Cheney from Temple Univ. said when a fan threw that soft drink on the basketball court earlier this year "Remember, stupid is forever." I hope the driver will not only lose his license permanently for this incident, but I hope he gets prosecuted for this matter. The state as well as the national government should really enforce Singapore-style fine systems, where drivers driving across such bridges like this with a load exceeding the posted limit should pay at least $3000 plus have his license revoked for such mishaps, like this one. Only then will unintellegence be prevented. What do you think of that idea?
I would take the driver's commercial license away for good if I had any say in the matter. It is bad enough for the historic bridge community to have to suffer ignorant DOTs and other road agnecies who demolish these sorts of bridges in the name of "progress", to have trucks collapsing them just to save a few minutes. There are so few King Bridge Company bridges left, and this was one of their finest designs.
I recently found a Capitol Construction Co. ID plate. It is steel and extremely heavy. The date on it is 1906. But, it does not list the project for which it was used. If anyone can give me any information about the Capitol Construction Co., then I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
--Tate Skinner
Sciotoville, Ohio
This bridge has been replaced by a modern concrete bridge, but the truss structure is still intact and is sitting in a field next to the bridge.
I'M GONNA BE REAL..........ME AND SOME FRIENDS WENT UP THERE A COUPLE TIMES..........TO SAY THE LEAST.......THAT BRIDGE IS HAUNTED....LOUD KNOCKING......THE WHOLE BRIDGE SHAKING........THATS JUST THE BEGINNING........ANYBODY ELSE HAVE SOME EXPERIENCES UP THERE?
What in the world made this man think he could take a 30 something ton truck over a 4 ton weight limit bridge? That`s a mistake?? More like stupidity. And he doesn`t think he should have lost his job because of this. If you can`t read the road signs, don`t drive.
I hate to see this bridge gone also, but hae even more to see a person being persecuted because of a mistake he made by all you you perfect people...
I wonder if anyone knows who the Swoveland road bridge is named after
I wonder if anyone knows who the Swoveland road bridge is named after jim swoverland
My grandpa used to live next to the post office and we used to swim and jump off the old bridge back in the 70's. My kids and I still go there from time to time and I am so glad they finally got the new bridge up. It hasn't been the same without a bridge connecting the two halves of the town.
Thank God and all those who helped for making sure it was a replica and not an ugly concrete eyesore.
We moved here in 1996, my kids and I have been swimming at "The Iron Bridge" for 10 years now. Everyone around here knows the iron bridge,either as a swimming hole, party spot, or make out spot. There are numerous stories, whether fact or fiction about this bridge. It is getting in bad shape and I hope it will be fixed instead of torn down, I would fight that tooth and nail. It is a part of our local history and needs to be preserved.
The loss of this bridge is akin to the loss of an old friend. Knowing that negligence caused its demise makes it a tragedy.