On Thu, 27 May 2010 10:57:42 -0400, Tony wrote:

Ann wrote:
On Wed, 26 May 2010 22:06:33 -0400, Tony wrote:

Ann wrote:
On Wed, 26 May 2010 07:02:43 -0700, MNRebecca wrote:

Thanks for all the input, everybody. I've sent an inquiry to the
local historical society. I'd love to know when this was built.
WPA project?
Did they have this technology when my family owned the farm
(1903ish to
1925ish)? I'll be in the area again for Memorial Day Weekend to
decorate the graves of family members and will try to take more
pictures then. Didn't get a single one straight across the
traveling path of the bridge!

R.
Courtesy of Google, it looks like what's referred to as a pony truss
bridge. In the early 1900s, they were the cheapest bridge design for
short spans and a number of companies made them. By the time the
depression and WWII were over, highway departments had moved on to
newer designs (than steel truss). Example of one still in use:

http://bridgehunter.com/in/gibson/2600283/

Here is a very large one I travel on a couple days a week. All 20
pics are this same bridge. It's a very unique design.

http://bridgehunter.com/tn/jefferson/bh37371/

I don't know why part of it is concrete? The highest steel span is
also wider, it looks as if it were made for large sail boats but I
don't think the lake is deep enough for a boat that large. Being so
old and carrying a lot of traffic, it under goes an inspection every
year and it is closed for the day of the inspection.

It must be a part of the great TVA (Tennessee valley authority)
project because they built the dam that made this bridge necessary.
In the winter when there isn't a lot of rain they use all the water
for hydro-electric and the lake becomes a river again. Some people
bought Lake Front houses during the summer, then in the winter it's
dirt and mud for hundreds of yards until they can reach the river.
Some bitch, some buy 4 wheelers to take advantage of the wintertime
fun.

Nifty bridge, actually several bridges strung together. Is it possible
they put it so high to allow for raising the level of the lake? The
COE constructed two flood control dams (3 impounds) in my county in PA.
They later raised one dam/impound to store additional water for
downstream nuclear plants cooling.

Here is "my" niftiest bridge:

http://explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1608

When the Rockville bridge was built across the Susquehanna River (PA)
in 1900-1902, it was described as the longest stone arch bridge
(3,280') in the world. (Not entirely true because it was concrete
filled.)

That is a nifty bridge indeed! I've never heard of stone bridge being
filled with concrete, but then again, I don't know much of anything on
that subject. I'm from PA so I wanted to see were it was and found
these pics:

http://www.steamphotos.com/Railroad-...kville-Bridge-
Harrisburg/3405975_DzATG#231852985_Gtcrs

I'll bet that's a heck of a photo op when an old steam loco takes a
pleasure ride. I also read it was built in only 2 years! It would
probably take 6 years to build the same exact bridge today. :-(

Imagine the task of taking it down. I doubt they could just blow it up
because of all the sediment that would put into the river - and
ultimately into the Chesapeake Bay.