PROJECTS COMPLETED IN 2006

NEW! The Hale Bridge Relocation, Anamosa State Park, Jones County, Iowa -- On Wednesday, March 8, 2006, Iowa Army National Guard Chinook helicopters moved the three rehabilitated trusses of the Hale Bridge from the Olin/Hale staging site to their new home at the Wapsipinnicon State Park in Anamosa, Iowa. This landmark event was covered by the History Channel's new series MEGA MOVERS and is scheduled to be aired on June 27,2006 at 10 PM EST. In late March and April, the new flooring was added and approach roads begun. The restoration was completed in late summer the bridge and is now the new entrance to hiking and biking trail in the park.

The three span Zenas King patent bowstring bridge was built by the King Bridge Company in 1879, comprising two 80 foot spans and one 100 foot span.  The spans were first removed from their piers in the Wapsipinicon River in 2003 by the Vose Moving Company of Waterloo. The Jones County Historical Society** have taken the lead in organizing this highly successful bridge preservation effort in which a large number of state and local governmental agencies were involved. Check the IOWA section for more details. For information, contact Rose Rohr (rcrohr@ia.net) and check out the pictures at the Jones County Historical Preservation Commission website at www.jchpc.gengap.com.

NEW! The Furnas Mill Bridge, Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area, Johnson County, Indiana – This is a two span, 240 foot Pratt through truss built by the King Bridge Company in 1891 and has been closed to traffic for about the last 20 years. It is on the National Historic Register and currently the Indiana Departments of Transportation and Natural Resources are funding its rehabilitation. The repairs are well underway and the bridge was opened for light traffic with a 6 ton limit in the late summer. The costs are expected to be in the $500,000 range. We hope to add pictures of the restored bridge when completed in the INDIANA section. For more information contact; Jack.Knichel@milestonelp.com.

NEW! The Boner Bridge – near Hatfield, Indiana – This three span bridge was built in 1869 by J. Barbaroux of Louisville, Kentucky using the bowstring design patented by Zenas King in 1867. It is the oldest iron bridge in Indiana and the public authorities of Warrick County and local historical associations have been discussing how to preserve the bridge for a number of years, and in April of 2004 the Warwick County Commissioners approved a design for its restoration for continued use for light traffic (12 ton limit) at a cost of $373,500. Environmental and archelogical studies have been completed and the project will be put out to bid shortly. Track the progress at the Historic Newburgh website (www.historicnewburgh.org/boner_bridge.htm).

PROJECTS COMPLETED SINCE 2000

 The 1887 Black Creek Trusses, Woodstock, New York --In 1999, our family started to take measures to help preserve old King bridges as a tribute to the life work of our ancestors, Zenas King and his sons, James and Harry. Our first project was to buy the pieces of a pony truss of 1887 which was originally built over Black Creek in Western New York State from Dr. Richard Fink, who had acquired them after they had been removed from the original site. This was the idea of my father, Allan Edward Sloan, who directed us to purchase these trusses for $3,000 as his last act before his death in December of 1999.  The cost of this rehabilitation effort was $6,500 and was performed by the Rothe Engineering Company of Woodstock. These trusses now serve as the entrance to a nature trail on Overlook Mountain created on land contributed by Allan E. Sloan to the Woodstock, New York, Land Conservancy.  Check NEW YORK Dedication section for details.

 The Stuart Road Bridge - Chili Mills, Monroe County, New York   This 74 foot bowstring was built by the King Bridge Company in 1877 and rehabilitated in 2002 by the Monroe County Department of Transportation (Bo Mansouri) – project cost unknown. Check the NEW YORK section, Chili Mills, for details. 

 The Beech Road Bridge -- Newfield, Tompkins County, New York  This 54 foot Zenas King patented Bowstring was built in 1873 and rehabilitated in 2004 . The project costs of $77,000 were contributed by the County and a local citizens group headed by Karen Van Etten with funding from Historic Ithaca.** Check the NEW YORK section, Newfield, for details.

 The Mill Creek Road Bridge Relocation- Ashtabula County, Ohio This 104 foot Pratt Through Truss built by the King Bridge Company in 1897 was relocated to the Western Reserve Greenway Trail in 2004 and rehabilitated. The project cost included $81,311 for removal and disassembly and $ 209,570 for structural rehabilitation, including fabrication of a new nameplate** for a total of $291000. The project was supervised by the Ashtabula County Engineer’s office (Tim Martin) and Union Industrial Co. of Ashtabula was the contractor. See OHIO section for details. (see Mill Creek Road Rehabilitation Report , Ashtabula County Ohio prepared by David A. Simmons for Grand River Partners, Inc.).

  The Dearborn River High Bridge—Lewis and Clark County, Montana-- This four span 160 foot deck truss was built by the King Bridge Company in 1897 and rehabilitated by the Montana Department of Transportation in 2003. Located in the foothills of the Rockies, it is a unique deck truss listed on the National Register of Historic places – HDR Engineering (Bradley Miller) was the contractor – project costs unknown See the MONTANA section for details..(photo courtesy of Lenze Walker)

 Happy’s Bridge, Marion, Virginia - An 85 foot Pratt through truss built by the King Bridge Company in1885 and rehabilitated as a joint venture of Virginia DOT and the Town of Marion in 2005. Thompson + Litton, engineers and Inland Construction Company did the work, Scott Wilson, Project Manager. Total project costs, $481,088, 80% funded by the State through Federal T-21 grant money and 20% by the Town. For details see 2005 UPDATE section, Reviving the South, and the VIRGINIA section (to be added)

  The Wyoming Bridge, Lincoln, Nebraska --A 70 foot pony bowstring built by the King Bridge Company in 1878 has been relocated from Otoe County to the Lincoln Saline Wetlands Nature Center to serve as a viewing platform  and foot bridge over a restored wetland. The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District moved and reset the bridge in September 2004 using a $135,000 federal grant and it was dedicated on National Trails Day in June, 2005. For details see EXISTING BRIDGES section – Nebraska - Otoe County. (see article in the Lincoln Journal Star  by Algis Laukaitis -www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/06/05)

  Yellow Bank Church Campground Bridge (1893), spanning Yellow Bank River, Agassiz vic., Lac qui Parle County, MN, King Bridge Company. The bridge was listed on the National Register and, was "delisted" when it was sold to Dave Bayer of Hastings, MN, who used the bridge to connect to a "spiral" bridge at his "architectural/historical" theme park.

 STATUS UNKNOWN

The Old Iron Pont Truss Bridge near Rapid City, Michigan. We have no current news from the Clearwater Conservancy on this bridge.  (Photo courtesy of the Clearwater Conservancy.)

 OTHER RESTORATION PROJECTS COMPLETED

There are a number of recent restoration projects of old King Bridges undertaken by local authorities without financial help from our family fund, but with our moral support and admiration. These represent good lessons in preservation strategy and methods. Check the EXISTING BRIDGES section of the website for more information.

 The King Through Trusses – Hopewell, New Jersey

 The Faust Street Bridge, New Braunfels, Texas

 The Alton Bridge – Denton County, Texas

The Second Street Bridge – Allegan, Michigan