Old St. Charles Bridge
Old St. Charles Bridge | |
---|---|
St. Charles County in Missouri | |
Characteristics | |
Design | Truss bridge |
Total length | 2,873 feet (876 m) |
Width | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
Longest span | 420 feet (130 m) |
History | |
Opened | 1904 |
Closed | 1998 |
Location | |
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The Old St. Charles Bridge once connected St. Louis County to the city of St. Charles.
History
Construction on the bridge began in August, 1902 with the sinking of the piers. Workers who worked inside the piers were called sandhogs. They worked one hour at a time twice a day inside the piers. One worker died as a result of the bends.
Progress on the bridge was slow for several reasons. Shipments of raw materials including lumber and steel were delayed. Inclement weather threatened work stoppages on several occasions. A dispute developed over the
Construction was completed in the spring of 1904 in time for the
In the late 1920s, the bridge was fitted with a pair of 34.5kV transmission lines when the Union Electric Co. (now part of Ameren) extended its system into the St. Charles area. The original insulators used on the river spans were a unique style developed by the Lapp Insulator Co. of LeRoy, NY (the prevailing wisdom being the need to compensate for the higher humidity in the area of the river; standard 'post' style insulators were later installed as replacements when the original insulators failed).
Tolls and trolleys ceased crossing he bridge in January 1932.[citation needed]
In June 1959, the bridge was redesignated as part of
It was documented for the
It was closed to traffic in 1992 and demolished in 1998.[1]
See also
- List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Missouri
- List of crossings of the Missouri River
References
- Historic American Engineering Record. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
External links
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. MO-30, "Old St. Charles Bridge, On Route 115, Saint Charles, St. Charles County, MO", 22 photos, 39 data pages, 2 photo caption pages