FINDING AND SAVING OLD KING BRIDGES

A PROGRESS REPORT

September 26, 2002

By Allan King Sloan

 Since creating the King Bridge Company Museum website a few years ago, we have discovered that there are still a surprising number of the company’s bridges still standing in various states of repair and disrepair and a growing body of people around the country who are interested in their preservation. We also find that the internet is providing a means for communicating among people with various interests and information on old bridges, many of whom have checked into our website over 6500 times to date.

 In the PRESERVATION section of the website, we have listed a number of current efforts we know about that are aimed at preserving old King bridges. Since this section was last updated in May 2002, there had been a number of interesting and promising developments. The Stuart Road bowstring in CHILI MILLS, New York was dedicated after its rehabilitation by the Monroe County DOT and an open house in celebration of the event was organized by the Wilcox family and neighbors. This 126 year-old structure is now able to function safely as a pedestrian bridge for a number of more years. In NEWFIELD, New York, the town and county officials have agreed to let Historic Ithaca, the local preservation organization, take on the responsibility for the rehabilitation of the Beech Road King bowstring. They will be hiring an engineering firm, using a grant from our family fund, to look at what can be done to firm up the abutments, which are the main problem in keeping this structure safe and sound for the school children that are its principal users. In CANTON, New York, the Grasse River Heritage Area Development Corporation announced that it has received a $195,755 from New York State for the development of a waterfront recreation and heritage area on an island in the river, access to which will be provided by a rehabilitated King bowstring. Restoration of this bridge will be one of the first projects to be undertaken. (For more information contact Varick Chittenden, President of the Corporation at 315-386-4289).

On the HOJACK swing bridge front, the situation is not as encouraging. The Army Corps of Engineers has issued its draft Detailed Project Report and Environmental Assessment in July which recommends that the bridge be removed by its owner, CSXT. The comment period for this report ended on September 24,2002. However, the Landmark Society of Western New York has recommended a six-month moratorium on the planning for its removal and has offered to host a team of experts in a variety of fields to examine the options for its preservation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington has offered its assistance along with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Our family fund would also be willing to pitch in. Richard Margolis, who is serving as the point person among local citizens interested in saving the bridge has obtained 1,000 names on a petition to save the bridge. In the face of this interest, we hope that the Corps of Engineers, along with the U.S. Coast Guard and City of Rochester will modify their position to allow a serious look at the preservation options. If anyone has suggestions for how to help in this effort, please be in touch with Richard (Rmars14607@aol.com) and the Landmark Society (psiegrist@landmarksociety.org).

We hope visitors to our website will follow the progress of the effort in Jones County, Iowa to save the HALE BRIDGE, a three span King built bowstring which is being removed from its present site to make way for a new structure. The County fathers have decided not to allow the bridge to be cut up for scrap and are looking for the technical expertise and funds to move it to a nearby park in the county and restore it as part of a trail system. When the state DOT offered it up for possible reuse, preservation interests in two other Iowa counties made offers, but Jones County decided it should stay close to its original home. The Air National Guard may be called on to move the spans by helicopter as part of their practice for wartime events. Please contact Paul Rohrbacher (rohrb@n-connect.net) with any thoughts. 

In Northeastern Ohio, plans are underway to relocate a King built Pratt truss to a new location on the Western Reserve Greenway Trail in Ashtabula County. The Grand River Partners are planning to provide funds to help in this project, which will include restoring the bridge plate and an historic marker. The partnership is undertaking to provide new or restored plates to other King bridges in the region using a grant from our family fund. Contact Chuck Ashcroft at grandriver@ncweb.com for further information. 

If any of you know of additional restoration or preservation efforts of old King Bridges in your area, please let us know.