Blackwell Bridge
Photos
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East end This photo was taken by Bettye Warner |
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Deck view This photo was taken Feb. 2002 by Jim Ridge |
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West portal These photos were taken Oct. 2002 by the webmaster |
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Closer view |
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Truss joint |
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Side view, west end |
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Side view, east end |
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New bridge These depressing photos were taken April 17, 2005 |
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East abutment |
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Remains Some girders are still sitting in the field south of the new bridge |
Facts
- Overview
- Lost three-span through truss bridge over Big River at Blackwell just beyond the end of Route CC
- Status
- Removed to make way for replacement bridge; east abutment remains
- History
- Built 1930-31; replaced 2004
- Builders
- - L.W. Fitzpatrick (Contractor of west pinned spans)
- Roll Blackwell (Contractor of east riveted span)
- Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Co. of St. Louis, Missouri (Fabricator of east riveted span)
- Design
- From west to east:
One 6-panel Pratt through truss
One 8-panel Pratt through truss (taller than the other spans)
One 8-panel Pratt through truss
One steel stringer approach span - Dimensions
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Length of largest span: 141.0 ft.
Total length: 414.9 ft.
Deck width: 12.8 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 12.7 ft.
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +38.04460, -90.62036 (decimal degrees)
38°02'41" N, 90°37'13" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 15/708813/4213436 (zone/easting/northing)
- Land survey
- T. 38 N., R. 4 E., Sec. 5
- USGS topographic map
- Vineland
- Inventory numbers
- MO 050-376000.0 (Missouri off-system bridge number)
MONBI 22814 (Missouri bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 22599 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Sources
- Jim Ridge - rjridge [at] earthlink [dot] net
- Bettye Warner - bkwofc [at] i1 [dot] net
- Missouri Historic Bridge Inventory
Comments
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
I lived in Jefferson county near Blackwell, untill
1951 when my parents moved to Utah. It is so sad to think
of the Blackwell bridge being gone. I have walked across
that bridge many many times. Sometimes I would ride my
mule to get groceries at Mr. Cole's store for my mom,
but no amount of coaxing would make my mule cross the
bridge. My husband and I thought of taking a trip back
this summer,but I don't suppose there is anyone living
there that I would know of after so many years.
Marie Engledow Howland
Stockton,California
I have heard stories that some of the steel for the bridge came from the 1904 World's Fair. Can anyone confirm??