Would like to compliment you on your bridge.
We had the opportunity to visit the bridge on the weekend of June 24th and enjoyed it very much.
Our organization (Northwest Territory Covered Brisge Association) includes the state of Illinois and your brige was the first bridge we visited in your state.
It is nice to know that bridges are still being built and yours is one of the finest new bridges we have had the honor to visit. The setting is very beautiful and the deck is a very nice touch.
We were wondering if the large stones used for the retainment wall at the parking lot were from the abutement of the old bridge.
Unfortunately it was raining when we visited and our photo could have used more light. But that's all right, we'll just have to visit you again when we return to Illinois.
Once again, very, very nice.
Bobby Adair
Northwest Territory Covered Bridge Association
President
Mason, Ohio
I have been a fan of old and/or unusual bridges for most of my 74 years. I appreciate the fine pictures and the information found at this website. Mr.Eads went on to contribute many engineering innovations on the Mississippi River.
no photos of this lost beauty, all i can do is leave a story or two. my father told me a few weeks ago something i never knew. in my life - at the southern portal of this bridge, the road began ascending up & over Potts ridge where the road had been cut through the hillside. but that was not always the case. from the bridges construction until the 1950's the road originally made an immdeiate left turn exiting the south portal and going along the ridge east to the gap in the ridge at billy goat bluff. my father on horseback with some other cow hands drove cattle across this old pratt through truss wooden deck bridge at times. the north approach to this bridge cruved about 5 degrees to the east, and sadly on new years 1950, a Mr. Adair was killed when his car plunged through the railing on the approach.
of the 4 bridges south of Magazine spanning the Petit Jean, this one may have been my favorite. A Pratt Through truss built early in the 1900's, it was the most rustic & ancient appearing of the 4. even as a young adult i was always a bit timid crossing it because it was so worn out, and to me that is what made it a bridge. i have no photos of it, but it looks identical to the Tull Bridge in Saline county. the first time i saw the Tull bridge i could have sworn it was the Kilburn bridge, right down to the sloped approach and immediate left turn at its portal. my father was born at home on the kitchen table just 1/4 mile south of this bridge in 1927, i grew up about 2 miles northeast of it. and i recall a RUMOR that early in the bridges life that a couple actually had they're wedding on this bridge.
As the one year anniversary approaches tomorrow of the official closing of the old bridge and the opening of that new piece of crap, I still feel bitter about it being gone. I live 2 miles from the old bridge. It was so beautiful and I still cannot believe it is not there to see. I really enjoyed it. I have been all over the country and it was one of my favorite bridges. It was not structurally weak at all. I live at the airport in Henrietta and the head hauncho in charge of the demolition flew into that airport to oversee the project in his personal aircraft and told me straight out that bridge was strong. They had to blow one section twice just to get it to come down and it still held together. So much for all the claims that it was going to fall apart one day. We will never understand the stupidity of the powers at be nowadays. They tear down everything now of historic value. The Richmond high school, Woodson School, Lexington middle school all in last few months. There will be nothing left for our grandkids to see. A crime on history.
this bridge has alot of old memories PLEASE KEEP IT!!
The four main span concrete pillars are still standing on sight.
We grew up in White County and would often cross the old swinging bridge at Des Arc. My oldest sister was terrified of the bridge and once, when we were waiting to cross it, she refused to ride across it riding in the back of our truck. So my Dad says, okay - you can walk across. Well, when she walked across it she saw the missing boards and realized she would rather ride across it. She never did that again!
Mystery Swinging Bridge No. 1 was called the Hackberry Bridge. I think it was sometimes also called the Lower Bridge. It was built in 1897 by Joe Dice and Ed Allen for $3,000.
Michael is right. It was located where '65' crosses the Osage, Lake of the Ozarks, whatever you want to call that body of water these days. There was a ford on one side of the bridge and a ferry on the other. Joe and Ed bought the ferry for $620. The bridge was a toll bridge and Joe's brother ran the toll booth and lived on the south bluff until the time of his death.
In 1926, someone supposedly set fire to the ferry and the bridge. People said you could see the flames for miles. A new bridge was built in 1927.
When I was a teenager, my dad would take us boys snagging at Warsaw. The Conservation Dept. dictated you couldn't start snagging until you got to the '65' bridge. We would often get "hung up" directly downstream from the bridge. Now I wonder if we weren't dragging those big hooks over the old cables from the Hackberry.
As a child I can remember going accross the Warsaw Middle Bridge on several occassions before it was closed down. After it closed it was a favorite fishing spot for my father and us kids. The grounds around the bridge was one of the best places Ive ever seen to dig for NightCrawlers!! Thanks for the memories!!
As a child, back in the 1960's, I used to spend my summers in White Branch, near Warsaw, Mo. Our cabin was on a bluff overlooking the Osage river. Exploring the bluff, I found an old road bed in the woods, and old, rusted wire strands hanging down through the brush and woods. I knew about the "swinging bridges" and often wondered what old bridge had once crossed the river at that spot. Maybe it was the Mystery Swinging Bridge? The view in the distance looks about right.
Like many others I have had many mixed emotions about this bridge and it's sad ending.However,I will not absolutely not miss driving on that bridge at all. It was a terror of terrors driving on that thing when a tractor trailer was coming in the other direction.
However my Grandfather worked on that bridge in the twenties as they were building it. He lived in Napeoleon and my Grandmother's family was from Camden. So as you can imagine that bridge helped the families. So my family put sweat equity into that thing.
Being in the Navy and traveling home many a time to the Richmond area going over that bridge always signaled that home was no more than 10 minutes away after a long drive from either Charleston, Norfolk or Mayport. So it did give me some fond memories.
Sadly near the end it's shape was the worst shape I have ever seen any bridge in my many travels around the world. I was scared everytime I crossed it that it might fall apart with the poor maintenance giving it over the last two decades of it's existence. With relatives that work at MODOT I will be nice to them as it was clear near the end that money was not to be had to for any maintenance for the bridge. Even if it had good maintenace it was limited in it's lifespan by it's physical structure with no way possible to expand it's lanes and very limited ability to increase it's load bearing capacity.
So Adios Old Gal and we certainly got every last penny out of ya!
We think this is the bridge that goes over Flint creek just
before the Sleepy Hollow store going north into Gentry from Siloam Springs. The crossroad (store on east side of road, and bed and breakfast on west) used to be called Dawn Hill Rd (may still be) and goes to the Adventist Academy going west, and to Hwy 12 and Springtown going East. Flint creek comes from the spring in Sprintown, about 5 miles from the bridge.
Hope this proves to be true and that it may help someone identify where the bridge is. It just has gaurd rails now and no top. Nice location.
I brought a sailboat to use on Table Rock Lake. The mast reaches 21' above the water. Will I be able to sail under the bridge?
I remember the old Des Arc swinging bridge very well. I was young and it was torn down before I started a family. But, when it was destoyed, I felt a sadness and a turning point in my life. The pictures do not give it justice. As a teenager I remember the thrill of crossing the single lane and waiting for the swaying and 'creeking' sounds to begin. The crossing seemed to take forever. There was always a certain sense of fear associated with the crossing especially in cold weather when it was even more hazardous. For those of us who were young with no children, it was an exciting drive. When the new bridge was built, safe or not, I missed the old one so much. On occasion, in conversation regarding the bridge, I can truthfully say I was a part of a special historical passing.
so many of my bridge memories are from childhood. about 1970 there was a large flood here in this valley of the Petit Jean south of Magazine. this valley between the first magazine bridge and Potts Ridge was flooded. we had to go around thru the town of Blue Mtn. to check cattle in Hog Thief Valley. we went up Potts ridge and down the other side approaching this middle bridge to see the flooded valley and bridge. the water was so high only about the top 4 foot of this bridges' upper truss was visible!
i recall as child crossing this bridge in 69 - 70 as it was being rehabilitated. you actually had to go UP & OVER the arch via a wooden deck that was built on it. it seemed so high and i remember no side railing, very frightening to me. we crossed it then going to and from Clarksville for my oldest sister who was in College of the Ozarks at the time and the Morrison Bluff bridge between Clarksville and Scranton did not yet exist.
When I was little, crossing the Hutsonville bridge in my parents' car terrified me. It had that high, climbing arch in the middle that pictures never seem to do justice, and with my fast-driving dad at the wheel, it felt like we were being launched to someplace I most certainly didn't want to go. With the bridge quivering and making spooky noises all around me, thinking I would surely die, I always mustered the courage to peek out the back seat window at the murky, infamous Wabash far below. Once across and back on solid ground, I breathed a sigh of relief as we passed the toll booth that sat smack dab in the middle of the road on the Indiana side of the bridge. The toll taker, as I remember, was a tall, lanky man who seemed made for the narrow, wooden toll booth. He always smiled and waved to us with his one good arm as if he too was happy that we made it across the bridge safely. Just below his right elbow on the other arm was a shiny, sliver hook, a misfortune I was sure somehow involved the bridge.
The bridge was reopened on May 27 2006
for more information and pictures go to www.slvdweller.com and click on Mesita
The Riddle Bridge was named for the Riddle family of TN and MO who lived on a farm near the site. The Riddle Family Cemetery is located nearby. Thank you for making these pictures available.
My friend was told that if you go on this bridge when it's dark and stop and turn off your car on the middle of it you can hear people in the woods talking (people that have died on the bridge from having been run off it). We decided last night to try.. we got on the middle of it turned off the car and had all our windows down. For a few seconds it was fine then we heard a huge bang on the top of our car. It sounded like something fell on it but we didnt hear anything roll off the car. Immediatly we tried to start the car but it wouldnt work, after a try it did and we left. There were no scratches or dents left on the car.
This is actually the McDonough Street Bridge. The Jefferson Street Bridge is a 3 lane one way bridge. McDonough Street is a 2 way 2 lane bridge which carries US Routes 52 and 6 over the Des Plains River.
Thanks loads for the bridge pics. This bridge became a part of mine & my family's lives every July since 1961. There were a lot of keepsake memories that happened on that bridge that I'll always remember. Too bad is wasn't preserved somehow. I have recently driven over a few Missouri bridges that are in much worse shape, but are still being utilized. Sure doesn't make much sense?????
Thought I could outdue your viewpoint so I drove around the town of Henley for half an hour trying to find better access. When I couldn't, I found a local who shared a beer with me and told me about a private drive leading to a boat ramp just to the south of the bridge. I made the visit to which no one seemed to mind any trespassing, and the view was indeed better. One could walk the old rails in the winter months but not during the spring or summer.
If one wants to walk this bridge, I recommend doing it in the fall or winter months, because to get there one must forge through a plethera of poision ivy and ticks (I picked at least 20 off me). The view is breathtaking but the trek across isn't for the faint at heart, since some of the ties are rotting or altogether missing in places. Still I found the adventure to be worth the drive.
I LEARNED TO SWIM BY BEING THROWN OFF THIS BRIDGE, IN THE EARLY FIFTIES, BY TWO OF MY BROTHERS, MARLIN , AND DAVID AND FRIENDS, (IT TOOK5), LOTS OF MEMORIES HERE, WE FARMED JUST WEST OF THE BRIDGE ON LAND THAT JOINED LOCUST CREEK,THERE WERE TWO FAMLIES LIVED ACROSS THE BRIDGE ON NEWTON ISLAND THE RILEY IRWIN FAMILY,JUST BELOW THIS BRIDGE ONE OF THE LARGEST BAPTISINGS WAS HELD HERE IN 1953 , BY REV BILLY KING , AND GW ENDICOTTS FATHER ,
I remember all bridges and butterfly mentioned. My grandfather worked at Lemont Harbor and Fleeting. I used to go on the boat with him at times to haul barges up and down the canal. If I'm not mistaken the 9th St. Bridge met its dimise early one foggy winter morning when it was struck by a barge. Also not mentioned was a bridge just like the Romeo Bridge at Lemont. For some reason it never swung in the early 70's. They did something to disable the bridge from swinging.
This bridge replaced a swing bridge that had been there since my Mother and Aunt were kids. I remember when this bridge was constructed. I was about 5 years old at the time. It was a site to see when we would drive over the old swing bridge seeing this high monster being constructed. After its completion you could look down on the north side and see what was left of the old road.
I agree - great bridge and the new one is definately lacking in character! This bridge was for sale in "Arizona Highways" magazine about the time it was removed...site indicates bridge "no longer exits", so I guess it was never brought - what a shame!
this bridge plays a song, a tune, a little honkey tonk... driven over and foregotten.
I was in Siloam Springs last week with my mother, Doris Harman Kessler, and we were looking for structures built by her grandfather, Willis Tweed Harman, who lived in Siloam Springs. She remembers that he built the first dam in Siloam Springs to make a pool of the two springs there, and that he worked on the construction of (she thinks) a narrow gauge railroad, which might have been nicknamed "Peavine". It might have roughly followed the route of the present Arkansas & Missouri RR.
He used to put the name "Harman" in the concrete structures he built. I wondered whether this railroad bridge, or any other bridges or viaducts in northwest Arkansas are known that show the name "Harman".
If anyone knows of structures with the name "Harman" on them, we'd sure appreciate hearing from you!
close to 20 years ago a local organization here in the Conway area put out a calender featuring this bridge. here in faulkner county, it is known as the "Springfield/Des Arc" bridge. the reason for that according to the caption on the calender is that this bridge lay on a prominent trade route. the road this bowstring was on connected Springfield and Conway county area to a major river port on the White river farther east at Des Arc in Prairie county.
This was a very famous bridge and can be seen in hundreds of post cards from the lake region. People use to call it the Upside Down Bridge because of its unusual design. The bridge was built this way so motorist could have a great view of the lake. Sadly the ugly concrete eye sore that replaced it is very hard to see over the sides from a car. Before the bridge was torn down in 1995 and after it was closed in the 1980's people use to put Christmas decorations out on the bridge.
This was a great bridge I'm sad to see it go. It’s just down from the Ha Ha Tonka State Park. It really added to the area with the look of its steel trusses. Unfortunately it was replaced with a very ugly concrete eye sore that adds nothing to the area and you can't see over the sides of the bridge in a car.
This bridge is about 25 minutes from where I work. It’s a very nice example of a self-anchored swinging bridge. It is 2 lanes and looks very sound, but does have quite a bit of rust on the metal. The deck is a metal grate deck with no concrete surface. It’s neat below the bridge because all the light shines through the deck. It’s also very loud when you drive across it. I will send some pictures to the website soon.
I now work just up hwy 5 from this bridge. The work has been completed for this year on the bridge it now has a new deck surface. The guardrails are quite rusted on the sides, but over all the bridge seems in good shape for all the traffic it gets. Its one of the most scenic views on any bridge any were. The design really does allow for a better view than other bridge types.
Camping at Gipsy was great! Every summer when I was a kid, my whole extended family got together for a week of fun and togetherness. I have begun searching for another spot like the Gipsy bridge campground so that all of my cousins and I can keep the tradition going with our kids, but no luck so far. So much for progress...
It is where the amtrack crosses. It is the only way for a common person to cross the river on this bridge now. Get a window seat.
We were delighted to receive an email on 5/3/06 from Shari and Randall Houp asking if we knew anything about this bridge, which we did not. As descendants of Zenas King, the founder of the King Iron Bridge Company, we have been documenting the history of the company and tracking any of their bridges that still remain on our website at www.kingbridgeco.com. This is indeed an exciting new find and must be one of the oldest of the Z. King patented bowstrings still around, joining the Springfield Bridge in Faulkner County, the Fort Laramie Army Bridge, and the Hale Bridge in Anamosa, Iowa (the later two still have the same type of builder's plate as this bowstring.)
If there is local interest in restoring this bridge for some historic or functional purpose, our family charitable gift fund would be glad to make a contribution. Allan King Sloan
I'm searching for information on an old bridge in Swope Park. I believe it spans a part of the Blue River. In the 1940's it was known as a "swinging bridge" and was part of the trail used to walk from the end of the streetcar line to the lagoon and swimming pool in the park.
I see nothing that sounds like it in this Historic Bridges of the Midwest website. Would appreciate any information on it. As I recall, it was only about 10 to 12 feet wide, steel construction with wooden deck. Warnings were posted not to swing it...but when five or six people "marched" on it in step with one another, it did swing.
i am sure James of H.B.of the Mdwst / and everyone else for that matter - are tired of hearing me praise my friend Bob Knight for telling me about this bridge. too bad, we owe this man so much. Robert at the highway dept. has already thanked him, as have i. but if you other bridge lovers feel obliged to, then by all means thank Bob yourself. It is Bob Knight, not me that gets credit for bringing this bridge to our attention.
his address is simply:
Bob Knight
Plainview, ARK. 72857
In the same day i first found the historic Bowstring bridge on the Petit Jean, i later got to go to and photograph this beautiful long camel back truss bridge on the Fourche (the photos to be posted here are Wayne's, not mine). THANKS again to BOB KNIGHT, he directed me to this bridge also. this bridge is great and in a beautiful spot on the river, ENJOY.
Important Note:
My future wife and I are avid Steel Truss Bridge hunters. Last Saturday,May 27,2006, we came across the Petit Jean Bowstring Bridge. We are going again tommorow, June 3,2006. We are also very interested in the history of this bridge. Our research has found so far the following possible information: From the book,HISTORY OF YELL COUNTY ARKANSAS, by Wayne Banks, published July 1959, pg. 68 " The first real progress in road construction was the erection of two steel bridges over Petit Jean, one with a 100 ft. span at Danville, and still another over the route between Dardanelle and Hot Springs.These bridges were erected in 1879". Could this be the date of our "new" bowstring bridge??? More research to follow, including research on Mickles, Arkansas. If anybody has any information whatsoever on this bridge or others, please contact me at ghostbridgehunter@yahoo.com
As kids we stood in the middle of the bridge against the rail, 30+ feet over the moving, serious river, while two, maybe three loaded Gibson Coal trucks crossed from Indiana, always going too fast so as to beat the lights that had been put at each end of the bridge to reduce traffic to one lane. The bridge groaned and shook as if it was alive and felt pain. When the loaded-down trucks hit the middle of the span, never as far apart from each other as they should've been, the deck felt like it dropped a good 2-3 feet under us. Once the trucks were across, the forgiving bridge rose back to its usual position, as if it were a big spring, which basically it was. When loaded, the arched deck dropped and straightened, pushing out toward the ends, and the simple cable system supporting the whole crazy thing stretched and relaxed like so many rubber bands. Feet planted, hands gripping the rail, we felt brave.
Thank you Bob Knight of Plainview Ark. for directing me to this bridge. for 30 plus years i have driven on hwy. 10 south of this bridge never knowing it existed. imagine my suprise on sat. may 20, 2006 when i followed Bobs' directions and found not a Pratt Thru Truss structure as is common on the Petit Jean, but instead this historical Bowstring. LET US ALL TAKE INSPIRATION FOR OUR SEARCHES. I was directed to this bridge in a casual conversation at the car races one night, hom many more forgotten bridges in America are waiting to be discovered?GET OUT THERE FOLKS !!!!
Designed by Elmer G. Pyle, PE, SE (deceased)
Rhutasel and Associates, Inc.
Centralia, Illinois
200 foot single span.
My grandfather told me a story about the day the bridge was opened in 1939. Everyone in town, and then some, turned out for the ribbon cutting cermony. Politicians and dignitaries galore. The bridge was packed with people from one end to the other and my grandfather was so sure that it would collapse from the weight that he forbid my mother (who was 16 at the time), my grandmother, and my mother's younger sister from going out onto the bridge. They, of course, weren't about to miss out on the excitement. In other words, they ignored him. Having grown up in Hutsonville, and having spent a lot of time in relation to the bridge, I can understand why my grandfather was concerned. It really didn't look all that sturdy, and being that it was designed to flex and move, it didn't always feel so sturdy either. More to come.
That bridge was replaced a few years ago.
There is no immediate threat of replacement that I am aware of but just recently, a 15 ton weight limit has been put on the bridge.
It will be replaced in 2007-2008. Illinois 14 will be widened. The city of Christopher is relocating their baseball fields to make way for the new shoulders. IL 14 will be widened by five feet.
I called the offices of the Miller County Commission today and confirmed that the bridge is "on the list" to be demolished and replaced with a new bridge. I was told no date had been set for the demolition and that the contract for the work had not been authorized yet.
The old bridge was dismantled and removed after the new bridge opened.
What an interesting and historic bridge in a gorgeous area of Missouri! With a sufficiency rating of 52, the bridge is eligible for federal funding for rehablitation, but not for total replacement. If no rehabilitation is done, then eventually MODOT will close the bridge to traffic. There are no alternate routes north and south in the area. Rehabilitation is inevitable. After witnessing a bad accident of a truck running into the bridge rail end post on the south side on Memorial Day 2006, it is obvious that the end posts need some sort of impact attenuator design for safety. I hope that MoDOT goes for an aesthetic, retro-historic sort of design when they rehabilitate the bridge. The designers will need to go "outside the box" to come up with a design that will match the existing historic structure aesthetics and satisfy FHWA and MUTCD design requirements. Send your input to MoDOT's District Engineer in Willow Springs, MO.
This bridge has not moved in my lifetime...in other words since early in 1959. I grew up visiting my grandparents who lived about 3/4s of the way up the hill on Hwy 62 in Cotter on the river side. We could see this bridge, and the entrance to the tunnel from my grandpa's deck and back yard. A man named Frank Young (my grandpa's best fishin buddy), who grew up in Cotter, (the old water tower was in his back yard at the top of the hill)said the bridge was unique because it went directly into the tunnel.
Locals call it Crocker bridge.
Shouldn't the coordinates be 47N 1E section 25? not section 35?
I am taking Amtrak to Chicago in August, and was sondering where I would cross the Mississippi river. Is this the bridge that I will be crossing when i leave from St. Louis?
Thanks,
Tom
Please send me the history of this bridge. Thank you.
My friends and I used to play all up and down the area where the bridge is located. It is a shame that it has gotten in such bad repair. You are always looking for something to bring to the city Pudge. Thank you
I remember my family partying on a sandbar near this bridge quite a few years ago. My father and I walked by the river, underneath the bridge, and found a hammer which must have been lost during construction. I drove to Thebes today to visit my grandfather's grave, and went by the bridge. There wasn't a chance of me driving past the Union Pacific "no trespassing" signs, but that was close enough, anyway. Thank you for the pics!
the Saline River US 278 Bridge is not tore down and replaced by a 4 lane flat bridge, it was tore apert back in 2002, and i cant tell you anymore then that
I was thumbing through an old book I bought called "Bridges Over The Osage". It was published in 1980. It's mainly about the swinging bridges in Benton County but there is some mention of the bridges in Miller County.
The author, Robert Hayden, wrote that Joe Dice built these bridges to fit the budget. What a budget he must have had to build the Kliethermes Bridge!
Mr. Hayden doesn't say when the bridge was built but he does mention that the Kemna Bridge carries a 1924 date and the now long gone Boeckman Bridge carried a more specific date of April 14, 1926 with Dice's signature in one of the main cable cappings. With all that said, I would think the Kliethermes Bridge was built somewhere in that timeframe.
One thing I noticed in one of the pictures was that the weight limit sign reads 2 tons.
Thank you for these great pictures. I've travelled across this bridge every summer since 1981. It holds many memories of slower, easy summer days of childhood for me. I'm sorry we lost this piece of history.
Thanks - confirmed. I drove down there last week! Grandma is still there...
Unless I'm mistaken I believe the Brookport Bridge over the Ohio is the Irvin S. Cobb...not the I-24 bridge.
I grew up in Massac County and have crossed this bridge too many times to count. I've never been concerned about it. For those who have never driven across a steel bridge deck it could be alarming but once you drive it once or twice it isn't a big deal. For those of you who get nervous on this bridge try not to think about the fact that you can manage to push an aluminium can through the gaps in the deck! Seriously though this bridge has had far fewer problems than the bridge over the Ohio on Interstate 24.
IN MY OPINION this bridge is most likely 1 of 2 lost bridges on Cadron Creek at Faulkner / Conway county line. these bridges were north and south of the infamous Springfeild/Des Arc which is on this site. in conclusion this bridge is either the lost "Mallet Town" bridge further north on Cadron creek between highway 285 near Republican and highway 124 near Springfeild. or the lost Cadron bridge further south between highway 285 at Wooster and highway 92 near Plummerville.
please feel free to contact me to discuss these or any other bridges as i have recently photographed 3 other thru truss bridges not on this site
The name of the cemetery to the south of the bridge is the Herculaneum Cemetery established in 1915.
Charles C. Blackwell planned and helped construct this bridge. His obituary:
LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Thurs. Nov. 26, 1981
CHARLES C. BLACKWELL
Charles Coleman Blackwell of Bonne Terre, passed away at his residence November 20, 1981 at the age of 94. He was born February 4, 1887 in Blackwell, Mo. to the late Aquilla and Dolly (Coleman) Blackwell.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary (Miller) Blackwell, in 1960; one daughter, Ruby Collins; 5 sisters and 7 brothers.
Surviving are 4 sons and 2 daughters: Robert Blackwell, Bonne Terre; Ralph Blackwell, Newport Beach, California; Earl Blackwell, Hillsboro, Mo.; James Blackwell, St. Charles; Elsie (Mrs. L. B.) Matthews, Middlebrook; and Bonnie (Mrs. Leslie) Bates of Bismarck, North Dakota.
Also surviving are one sister, Mrs. Fannie Eaves of Festus, Mo., 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Mr. Blackwell was a former school teacher, farmer and stone mason. The proudest accomplishment of his long life was his planning and construction of the seven-arch bridge across Terre Bleu on the old Hillsboro Road, 4 miles east of Bonne Terre.
Services were Sunday, November 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Sparks Chapel with Rev. Leland Butler officiating.
Interment was in St. Francois Memorial Park under the direction of Sparks Funeral Home of Bonne Terre.
I am a Lake area resident who has visited this bridge many times with visitors to astound them by this engineering feat! I believe the "local traffic only" sign is gone. I have driven back and forth over this bridge many times. Make sure to go slowly, and roll all your windows down for full effect. It sounds like riding a wood-frame roller coaster. There is actually a Missouri State Park located at the bridge site as well. As far as "Will the bridge hold", I have seen extended cab pickups cross pulling trailers with boats in them.
When I was a child living down there (1970 or so), I was told about the remains of the older bridge being visible when the lake level was low. For some reason, that idea terrified me. I have had nightmares associated with this bridge into adulthood. Funny how the mind works. Anyway, I'd like to learn more about the previous bridge, such as how close the alignment was to the current one and how much of the bridge remains intact. Was the old bridge dynamited? What about the piers?
I was raised most of my life and still have family living in Brookport. I have crossed the bridge so many times that if I had a nickel for each time (either direction), I would be a very rich man. The key to crossing this bridge is to drive around 45-50 MPH while on the deck (of course, you'll need to slow down northbound as there is a fairly tight curve as you exit the bridge into Brookport). If you drive any slower, the metal decking will tend to grab your tires and make you wobble side to side. Likewise, if you have winter tires or tires with a large tread, the same result may happen. Hey...Stay calm...those of you who freak out on this thing are the ones who give us a reason to paint it every so often (SCREEEEEEEEEEEE...that's the sound of your car swapping paint with the bridge). The only thing I don't recommend is crossing the bridge on foot or bike; you gotta keep your eyes open for the other fool.
Hi,
I was reading your post about the Bourbeuse Bridge and wondered if you know where I can find some history on Moselle, Mo. We may be moving to the area and I was curious about whatever I could find.
Thanks,
Sherry
We traveled across that bridge northbound in 1995. As far as current bridge(s!) go legnthwise, this one takes the proverbial cake. There are five nacvigation humps (cue that overplayed but still very catchy "Black Eyed Peas" song hit): going northbound as did we (my parents and I):
a) nad b) two small fixed prestressed-concrete spans, a larger hump, anotbher smaller "hump",and then the drawbruidge that si pciutred above several times.
Glad to have found this site.
The Frisco built two railroad bridges across the Arkansas at Van Buren. The first was built by the Union Bridge Company in 1885. The first bridge was of wrought iron and steel. The white limestone came mainly from a quarry near Beaver,Arkansas with lesser amounts coming from quarriies in Mountainburg,AR and Garfield, AR.The first bridge, built for the Frisco's Fort Smith & Van Buren Bridge Company subsidiary, took two lives. The first train to cross the brige was Frisco No. 17, southbound , on February 9, 1886.
(Please see American Society of Civil Engineers Transactions, Volume XX (May 1889) for a detailed discussion of the bridge construction project)
In 1912 the Frisco announced plans to rebuild the bridge perhaps due to heavier traffic loads. As the rebuilding was underway in December 1913 high water caused a collapse of the false work used to support the bridge. The Frisco had to detour via the MP to Sallisaw to enter Fort Smith for more than a month.
The bridge project was formally finished April 27, 1915. The old bridge had a second life as it was rebuilt to cross the Arkansas River at Morrilton, AR. It has since been replaced by a more modern structure. The vertical lift was added to the bridge in 1976 to increase utility of the bridge.
After reading the latest news, I drove out to photograph the bridge on Saturday, May 13th. The bridge is still standing but piles of rip rap on both approaches have closed it to vehicular traffic. This would appear to confirm the statement that it soon will be dismantled. Sad news indeed because this bridge is very photogenic, particularly from the Western approach because the road turns sharply to the left just before the cable towers which gives a pleasing oblique view of the bridge deck.
The bridge in upper photo was taken at Birdfordvill. The lower photo was taken at Allenville.The Allenville bridge was built first it's twin sister at birdfordvill was shortley after.
Why destroy such a beautiful piece of workmanship?
What a shame!
There was an error in the last post: Angela Freeman was abducted in 1993; Bond and Hatcher in May 1995.
This bridge was the site of two abductions. One in 1990, of Angela Lee Freeman; her body was never found. The second took place in 1991, when Robbie Lee Bond and William Hatcher were abducted by two cousins who then drove to their mobile home to commit the rapes and murders.
This bridge has since been removed and replaced with a modern concrete bridge.
Dear Sir -
Who was McColly and why was the bridge in question named after him or her?
My name is Brent Mitchell, I am posting this comment on behalf of a friend of mine whos father owns some land on turman creek and it happens to be right next to this bridge, although i was only 2 when it got its last "face lift" the bridge still looks as strong as ever. The reason I am posting this is because, my friends father is very interested in the history of Turman Creek and the Native Americans that once lived there. If any one has any information on this it would be very helpful to me in this research that i am doing. Thank you.....
Brent Mitchell
E-mail mitch3_8@yahoo.com
My grandfather told me there was a marker placed in 1927 on this bridge showing the highest mark the river got during the flood. Do you know anything about this?
just found a geocas site on this bridge.
use to drive it all the time, seems strange now.
Mrs. B
from Northridge, Ohio
5-7-06
There is cemetery just on the south side of the bridge, on the left (I believe) towards the Mississippi. Any idea what the name of it is? I thought it would be the Joachim Cemetery - but apparently not.
R/Lance
I also remember ocasionally crossing over the bridge in the mid and late 90's when I had to go from Alton to the Missouri-Illinois Blood Region building at 4050 Lindell and wanted a "short-cut." A couple of times, the automatic coin collectors were jammed and the hoppers were overflowing with change. Then, you would go up on the bridge itself, encountering many of the conditions the previous person commenting has described. Once you got up on the main spans, it wasn't so bad. However, the approaches on the Missouri side were the worst. Apparently the foundations had settled, and the joints (which were like serrated knife blades) were pointed up at a 45 degree angle in some spots. They acted like those like those barriers that they have on parking lots to keep people from leaving without paying. I remember coming to almost a complete stop to avoid damaging my tires while at the same time looking in my rearview mirror to see someone coming at me from the rear at a high rate of speed. Glad to see that the bridge is going to be put back into commission as I believe it is really going to be needed since we don't when (or if) the new interstate bridge is going to be built.
I believe that this bridge was located just south of the Columbia city limits where the line crossed the old GM&O railroad line. The abutments for a bridge over the GM&O were visible for many years but may have been removed in recent years. The was an electric trolley line known as the East St. Louis, Columbia & Waterloo (interurban?) line. It was apparently in business from around the turn of the 20th Century until right before World War II (not sure when it was abandoned) and apparently ran from downtown St. Louis (across the Eads Bridge)through East St. Louis, Maplewood (now part of Cahokia), Cahokia, North Dupo, Dupo, Columbia (right down Main Street) and Waterloo where I believe it terminated. It essentially paralled old Illinois Route 3 and if you look closely, you can still see evidence of the route it took. For instance, it crossed right through the middle of what is now the Dupo Khourey League diamonds. On the north side of the complex, the bridge that carried the line over the creek is still there. I used to ride my bike over that bridge back when I was a kid in the 1960's. From Dupo to Columbia on old Illinois Route 3, the line used to parallel the highway just about a block to the west, where the Ameren/IP power lines now run. My dad knew this line well and said the trolleys travelled very fast along it. He also said that such a line would be a godsend nowadays with all of the traffic congestion. Hope that this helps!
The old bridge crossing the Missouri River at Bolivar Street from Jefferson City to Southern Callaway County was quite unique. The main span of three spans, nearest to Jefferson City on the South side of the river, was supported by a single, round column and was identifiable by the larger superstructure. It was on this single column that the main span of the bridge would rotate 90º to allow boat traffic to pass through due to the limited clearance between the substructure and the river surface. This rotation was effected by a diesel engine below the bridge surface providing power to rotate the deck of the main span. Due to the limited size of the diesel engine, rotation of the bridge was slow and in some cases motor traffic could be disrupted for as long as 45 minutes. Until approximately 1935 the bridge was owned by the JC Bridge Company and a toll was charged to cross the river. In approximately 1935, the bridge was acquired by the Missouri Highway Department and all tolls were dropped. Shortly thereafter a larger diesel engine to rotate the span was installed as well as a control house located in the upper portions of the superstructure of that main span. Shorter rotation times resulted and scheduled opening times decreased the frequency and duration of interruption of bridge traffic. The bridge was replaced in the mid-1950's and was finally torn down in 1958.
My Father, and his before him, worked for MVSS. Thank you for posting the plaque image. That's a great bit of nostalgia.
is all the track still in place on the old roadbed? Email me back if anyone gets time. Very intresting.
I'm not to far from Bigelow. I'd like to see it for myself. Email me with some more imfo!!
I remember crossing that bridge several times when we would go to Judsonia. Always a spookey experience. The floor would make all kinds of cracking and poping noises.
this website doesnt have enough info. for my friend to do her report. HOW RUDE!!
I have crossed that bridge several times as a kid. I'm 31 now so the bridge had been closed to traffic several years before that. The only thing left is the concrete pillars the cables were bolted to. My father said when he was a kid that the school bus would stop short of the bridge. They would have to walk across. Once across the bus would drive across. they would load up and on the way to school they would go! I hated it for everyone the day it collapsed. The times i was there the water was only about 3 to 4 feet deep. I would imagine that the log ties used for the flooring caused a lot of the injurys and deaths along with the fall to shallow water.
It appears this may have replaced a swingbridge, as on one end of it, there's a round bridge abutment, typical of what's under the center of a swingbridge.
Longest railroad bridge in the US
This bridge was also known as the Peal Bend Bridge. Joe Dice built this bridge in 1912 on the downstream end of what was called Peal Bend on the Osage River.
It was 600' long had wooden towers and cost $8,500. In 1924, a tornado(the same storm that took out the original Upper Bridge?) blew down on of the towers. Apparently, the bridge was rebuilt.
I do beleave I know where that bridge use to be. I live around this area.
If you drive to the river access just outside Moselle the last right hand turn just before you get to the parking lot you'll see a pile of dirt on the left of the curve blocking an old rd that leads to where the bridge use to cross.
If you take a boat up the Bourbeuse riverfrom the boat ramp. You'll see the old stone piers along each side of the river.
That's the only bridge I know of that crossed the Bourbeuse river in that area.
here's the lat and long 38.398275 -90.894563
This Bridge and the property around it was owned by my Great grandmother,Josephine Nelch. She donated the bridge and several acres around it to the historical society many years ago. Its was never owened by Mr. Castle. The Nelch family has owned this property for nearly one hundred years and still maintians farms in Chatam and Glenarm adjacent to the bridge property.