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Bowstring truss

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A bowstring truss has a continuously curved top chord and a straight line bottom chord making it look like a archers bow laying on the bowstring. The top and bottom chord are connected with vertical and diagonal members. The diagonals are load bearing members which makes this a true truss.

Often a bowstring truss is confused with a tied arch. However, a tied arch has only vertical, or near verticals members between the arch and the deck. These are tension only members while the verticals on a bowstring are compression struts and the diagonals are tension.

16th Avenue Bridge (Oldest) (Linn County, Iowa)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Cedar River on 16th Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

3rd Avenue Bridge (Original) (Linn County, Iowa)
Built 1872, Replaced 1911
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Cedar River on 3rd Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

4th Street Bridge (OLD) (Dodge County, Wisconsin)
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Rock River on 4th St.


4th Street Bridge (Oldest) (Black Hawk County, Iowa)
Built 1872; Replaced 1904, Three spans relocated to Sans Souci Park.
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Cedar River on Bridge Street (4th Street)
Replaced by a new bridge

8th Avenue Bridge (Old) (Linn County, Iowa)
Built 1872 at 3rd Avenue; Replaced and relocated to this spot in 1911; Replaced 1938
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Cedar River on 8th Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

Adkins Bridge (Greene County, Iowa)
(Main design: Pratt through truss)
Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Raccoon River on E 57 Road
Replaced by a new bridge

Alum Creek Bridge (Morrow County, Ohio)
Replaced 1986
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over Alum Creek on CR 15
Replaced by new bridge

Amarillo Creek Bridge (Potter County, Texas)
Built 1910; rehabilitated 1975
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Amarillo Creek on Dewey Avenue
Open to traffic

Amnicon Falls Bridge (Douglas County, Wisconsin)
Built ca. 1900 by Charles Horton, moved to Amnicon Fall State Park in 1930 and roof added in 1939.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Amnicon River on Amnicon Falls State Park Trail
Open to pedestrians

Amsterdam Bridge (3rd) (Montgomery County, New York)
(Main design: Town lattice truss)
Built 1843; North span washed away by part of the Caughnawaga Bridge & replaced iwth a bowstring 1865; Washed Away & Replaced 1876
Lost Town lattice truss bridge over Mohawk River on Road
Destroyed by flooding

Andrews Street Bridge (Old) (Monroe County, New York)
Replaced 1895
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Genessee River on Andrews Street
Replaced by a new bridge

Arbuckle Bridge (Erie County, Pennsylvania)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge on Arbuckle Road
No longer exists

Archer Avenue Swing Bridge (Cook County, Illinois)
Built 1870 to replace earlier bridge of unknown type, replaced 1906
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over South Fork of South Branch Chicago River on Archer Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

Augusta/ Turtle Creek Bridge (Bracken County, Kentucky)
Built ca. 1880, possibly relocated here ca. 1920
Bowstring Pony truss bridge over Turtle Creek on Long Stretch Road
Bridge was relocated to Henderson County, KY

Austin Bridge (Neosho County, Kansas)
Built 1872 near Chanute by the King Iron Bridge Co. Moved downstream ca. 1910. Relocated to Santa Fe Park in Chanute, Kansas.
Relocated Bowstring through truss bridge over Little Turkey Creek
Open to pedestrians

Ayrults Bridge (Dutchess County, New York)
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over Wappinger Creek on Road
Replaced by a new bridge

Barber Creek Bridge (Rock Island County, Illinois)
People's Power Company Truck fell through the bridg & replaced 1916
Lost Bowstring truss bridge over Barber Creek on road
Collapsed

Beatty Mills Bridge (Armstrong County, Pennsylvania)
Built ca. 1875 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Co
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Buffalo Creek on TR 659
Replaced with concrete bridge in 2008, trusses in storage

Beauty Spot Bridge (Orange County, New York)
Bowstring pony truss bridge


Beaver Creek Bridge (Crawford County, Iowa)
Built 1945
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Beaver Creek on 180th Street
Intact but closed to all traffic

Beaver Creek Bridge (Dallas County, Iowa)
Bowstring through truss bridge over Beaver Creek


Bedford Bridge (Bedford County, Pennsylvania)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Raystown Branch Juniata River
No longer exists

Beech Road Bridge (Tompkins County, New York)
Built 1873 by the King Bridge Co. Preserved as a pedestrian bridge in 2003.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over West Branch Cayuga Inlet on Beech Road
Open to pedestrians

Beecher Road Bridge (Josephine County, Oregon)
Built 1948, Replaced 2005
Lost timber bowsting pony truss bridge over Grave Creek on Beecher Road
Replaced by a pre-cast girder bridge in 2005.

Bennies Hill Road Bridge (Frederick County, Maryland)
Built ca. 1889 by the King Iron Bridge Co.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Catoctin Creek on Bennies Hill Road
Open to traffic

Big Elm Creek Bridge (Falls County, Texas)
Built likely in the 1870s.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Big Elm Creek on CR 179
Open to traffic

Big Elm Creek Bridge (Falls County, Texas)
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Elm Creek on Cr 59
Open to traffic

Big Jim Bridge (Marion County, Indiana)
Originally built in 1873 in Montgomery County, moved to Marion County
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Central Canal on trail behind Indianapolis Museum of Art in Indianapolis
Renovated and reopened for pederstrians

Big Jim Bridge (Montgomery County, Indiana)
Built ca. 1880 as a 2-span bridge over Sugar Creek, this span relocated here at a later date.
Bowstring pony truss bridge formerly over Lye Creek on CR 700 N
Moved to Indianapolis where it spans the Central Canal behind the Museum Of Art.

Black Hawk Creek Bridge (Black Hawk County, Iowa)
Built 1904
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Black Hawk Creek on Cedar Falls-Waterloo Road
Replaced by a new bridge

Boner Bridge (Warrick County, Indiana)
(Main design: Bowstring through truss)
Built 1869
Bowstring through truss bridge over Little Pigeon Creek on Boner Road
Open to traffic

Brackenridge Park Bowstring (Bexar County, Texas)
Built 1880 by the King Bridge & Iron Co. Moved from unknown original location in 1937 to Brackenridge Park.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over San Antonio River on Pedestrian Walkway in Brackenridge Park
Open to pedestrians

Brandewie Bridge (Shelby County, Ohio)
Built ca. 1875
Abandoned bowstring pony truss bridge over Spring Creek on Private Drive
Derelict/abandoned

Bridge at Gaylord's Grove (Summit County, Ohio)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Cuyahoga River
No longer exists

Bridge at White Mill (Monroe County, New York)
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Irondequoit Creek


Bridge over the Hudson River at Stillwater, NY (Saratoga County, New York)
(Main design: Pratt through truss)
Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Hudson River
No longer exists

Bridge Street Bridge (Cumberland County, Maine)
Built 1870; replaced
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over River on Bridge Street
Replaced by a new bridge

Bridgeview Bridge (Franklin County, Ohio)
Built in 1900 by the Brackett Bridge Co. in Scioto County, after being dismantled and stored it was restored for trail use in Franklin County.
Relocated Camelback bowstring through truss bridge over Alum Creek on Alum Creek Greenway
Open to pedestrians

Brighton Bridge (Old) (Washington County, Iowa)
Built 1867; Replaced ?
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over Skunk River on Unknown road
Replaced by a new bridge

Buck Creek Bridge (Crawford County, Iowa)
Built 1945; Rehabilitated 1973
Pony truss bridge over Buck Creek on Buck Creek Avenue in Buck Grove
Closed to thru traffic; privately owned

Bulman Bridge (Hamilton County, Texas)
Built 1884 by the King Bridge Co. over Leon River on CR 301. Relocated and restored in Pecan Creek Park in 1996.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Pecan Creek on a pedestrian path in Pecan Creek Park
Open to pedestrians

Bunker Hill Bridge (Crawford County, Ohio)
Built 1881; relocated 1987
Bowstring pony truss originally over Sycamore Creek in Crawford County, now relocated to the Ohio Historical Society
Open to pedestrians only at the state historical complex in Columbus.

Burlington Street Bridge (Johnson County, Iowa)
Built 1860, Collapsed 1863 due to a herd of cattle, Replaced 1915.
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Iowa River on Burlington Street
Replaced by new bridge

Burton Lane Bridge (Morgan County, Indiana)
Built 1875 by the Massillon Bridge Co.; replaced 1998; parts currently in storage.
Bowstring arch bridge over Indian Creek on Burton Lane, in storage after being damaged by truck.
Replaced by new bridge, but parts in storage

Bushnell's Bridge (Otsego County, New York)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Butternut Creek
No longer exists

Caledonia Bridge (Marion County, Ohio)
Built 1873 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company
Abandoned bowstring through truss bridge over Olentangy River on abandoned road just off of Caledonia Northern Road in Caledonia
Abandoned

Cambridge Bridge (Story County, Iowa)
(Main design: Bowstring through truss)
Built 1876; Replaced 1916
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over South Skunk River on Road
Replaced by a new bridge

Canajoharie-Palatine Bridge(1) 32-39-03x (Montgomery County, New York)
(Main design: Other through truss)
Built 1826; Burned 1901
Lost covered through truss bridge over Mohawk River
Destroyed by fire

Canal Footbridge (Stark County, Ohio)
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Ohio and Erie Canal on a pedestrian walkway (link to Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail)
Open to pedestrians only

Canalside Park Squire Wipple Truss Bridges (Erie County, New York)
Built 2001 as a reconstruction of the 1850's bridge in same location using Squire Wipple's original blueprints.-per James McCray
Bridge over park on Pedestrian
Open to pedestrians only

Catoctin Furnace Bridge (Frederick County, Maryland)
Built ca. 1872
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Little Hunting Creek on a pedestrian path
Open to pedestrians

Catskill Creek Bridge (Greene County, New York)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Catskill Creek on Maple Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

Cedar Grove Bowstring (Franklin County, Indiana)
Built ca. 1880 by the King Iron Bridge Company; destroyed in the 1913 flood.
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Whitewater River
Destroyed in the great 1913 flood

Cedar Road Bridge KRAPE PARK (Stephenson County, Illinois)
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Yellow Creek
No longer exists

Centennial Bridge (Johnson County, Iowa)
Built 1876, replaced 1916.
Lost Truss bridge over Iowa River on Iowa Avenue
Replaced by new bridge

Center Street-D&H Canal (Ulster County, New York)
Lost Bridge over D and H Canal on Center Street
Removed but not replaced

Central Avenue Bridge (Linn County, Iowa)
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over indian Creek on Central Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

Chili Mills Bridge (Monroe County, New York)
Built 1877 by the King Bridge Company
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Black Creek on Stuart Road
Open to pedestrians only

Churchill Street Bowstring (Dutchess County, New York)
Built ?; Dismantled 1978/Replaced 1979 and put into storage for reuse: Parts have disappeared
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over Fishkill Creek on Churchill Street
Replaced by a new bridge

City Park Bridge (Taylor County, Iowa)
Bowstring through truss bridge over Snake River


Clay Mills Bridge (Jones County, Iowa)
Built ca 1871; Removed ?
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over South Fork Maquoketa River on Road
Removed

Cohocton River Bridge (Steuben County, New York)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Cohocton River
No longer exists

Coldwater Bridge (Branch County, Michigan)
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge
Superstructure replaced

Commerce Street Bridge (Older) (Dallas County, Texas)
Built 1871; Replaced 1890 and relocated; One span went upstream to Grauwyler, the other downstream to Miller's Ferry.
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over Trinity River on Commerce Street
Replaced by a new bridge

Commercial Slip Squire Wipple Truss Bridge (Erie County, New York)
Built 2001 as a reconstruction of the 1850's bridge in same location using Squire Wipple's original blueprints.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over the Erie Canal on a pedestrian walkway
Open to pedestrians

Conestoga Creek Bridge (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania)
Built in 1869 as a bowstring pony, stringers placed ca 1950 carry the load
Steel stringer bridge with bowstring trusses over Conestoga Creek on T848 Conestoga Creek Road
Open to traffic

Conewango Creek Bridge (Chautauqua County, New York)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Conewango Creek on Main
Replaced by a new bridge

Coon Rapids Bowstring (Carroll County, Iowa)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Middle Raccoon River on Main Street
Replaced by a new bridge

Coonhunter's Lodge Bridge (Jones County, Iowa)
Built 1876,
Bowstring pony truss bridge
Open to pedestrians

Cooper's Tubular Arch Bridge (Onondaga County, New York)
Built in 1886 in Canajoharie, New York. Relocated to present location in 1975.
Bowstring through truss bridge over the Erie Canal on a pedestrian walkway in Old Erie Canal State Park
Open to pedestrians

Corbett's Mill Bridge (Jones County, Iowa)
Built 1871; Bypassed by a new road in 1958 and passed into private ownership.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Maquoketa River on Abandoned Road in Scotch Grove
Destroyed by flooding Saturday July 24, 2010

County Line Bowstring Bridge (Cloud County, Kansas)
Built in 1876 as part of a four span bridge in the Concordia vicinity.
Bowstring truss bridge over West Creek on Republic Road, northwest of Hollis
Open to one-lane traffic on a low-maintenance road

Cowley Bridge (Lincoln County, Tennessee)
Built by the King Iron Bridge Co. in 1878 for $8,000, the only Bowstring truss bridge in the state of Tennessee. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Bowstring through truss bridge over Elk River on West Stevens Creek Road
Open to pedestrian traffic only

Croton Reservoir Bridge (Westchester County, New York)
Built 1852?; replaced 1904
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Croton Reservoir on Old Croton Dam Road
Replaced by a new bridge

Crum Road Bridge (Frederick County, Maryland)
Built 1880; dissassembled in 1994
Bowstring pony truss bridge originally over Israel Creek on Crum Road
Replaced by new bridge, Relocated to Heritage Park in Walkersville

Crum Road Bridge (Frederick County, Maryland)
Originally built on Crum Road near Walkersville; later relocated to Ballenger Creek Park on a walking trail
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Ballenger Creek on the Ballenger Creek Park Nature Trail
Open to pedestrians

Curriers Mill Bridge (Mahaska County, Iowa)
Replaced 1919
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over South Skunk River on Mill Road
No longer exists

Dakota City Bridge (Older) (Humboldt County, Iowa)
Built 1871, replaced 1913
Lost bowstring through truss bridge over East Fork Des Moines River on local road
Replaced by a new bridge

Danville-Mickles Bowstring Bridge (Yell County, Arkansas)
Originally built July 1880 by the King Bridge Co. at Danville; relocated in 1920
Relocated bowstring through truss bridge next to Danville City Hall
Open to pedestrians

Davis Bridge (Howard County, Iowa)
Built 1879; Replaced 1992
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Upper Iowa River on Mill Road in Forest City Township
Replaced by new bridge

Day's Dam Bridge (Lorain County, Ohio)
Built in the 1880s
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Black River on Road
Removed

Dinkey Historical Bridge (Fresno County, California)
Built 1938
Bowstring through truss bridge over Dinkey Creek on an access road in the Dinkey Creek Recreation Area
Open to pedestrians only

Eagle City Bridge (Hardin County, Iowa)
Built in the 1870s; Bypassed 1983 and remained open to pedestrians as per the funding agreement; Illegally demolished under the direction of county engineer Rodney Vlotho in 1989
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Iowa River on 160th Street
Illegally demolished

East Avenue Gulf Road Bridge (Old) (Orleans County, New York)
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over Erie canal on East Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

East Nishnabotna River Bridge (Montgomery County, Iowa)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over East Nishnabotna River on Bridge Street
Replaced by a new bridge

East Soldier River Bridge (Crawford County, Iowa)
Built 1945
Bowstring pony truss bridge over East Soldier River on 120th Street
Replacement constructed in the spring of 2016. Bridge possibly saved.

Egypt Pike Bridge (Pickaway County, Ohio)
Built in 1876. Replaced in 1987, but moved next to new bridge for pedestrian use.
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Mud Run on Egypt Pike
Open to pedestrians

Ehrmentraut Farm Bridge (Monroe County, New York)
Built 1859 over Erie Canal in Brockport, NY. Relocated east of Brockport on Erie Canal in 1880. Relocated to its current location in 1910.
Bridge over Black Creek on a farm access road
Open to pedestrians

Eldora Bridge (Hardin County, Iowa)
Replaced 1913
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Iowa River on Road
Replaced by a new bridge

Elgin Bridge (Fayette County, Iowa)
(Main design: Bowstring through truss)
Built ?; Replaced 1952
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Turkey River on Road
Replaced by a new bridge

Elm Circle Drive Bridge (Wayne County, Michigan)
Built 1951; rehabilitated 1969
Pony truss bridge over Lower Rouge River on Elm Circle Drive in Inkster
Closed to all traffic

Elmwood Cemetery Bridge (Rensselaer County, New York)
Abandoned bowstring pony truss bridge over a creek in Elmwood Cemetery on an abandoned path
Abandoned

English Creek Bridge (Marion County, Iowa)
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over English Creek on West Street
Replaced by a new bridge

Erie Canal Bridge (Wayne County, New York)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge
No longer exists

Erie Canal Bridge (Oneida County, New York)
Lost Bowstring pony truss bridge over Erie Canal
No longer exists

Essex Bridge (Page County, Iowa)
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Nishnabotna River East on North Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

Eureka Bridge (Winneshiek County, Iowa)
Built 1872; Relocated to City Park, Castalia, Iowa 1995
Bowstring pony truss bridge over land, it is displayed on flat ground in Castalia
Open to pedestrians

F Avenue Bridge (Old) (Linn County, Iowa)
Built 1875; Replaced in 1914 by concrete arch
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Cedar River on B/F Avenue
Replaced by a new bridge

Fall Creek Bowstring (Madison County, Indiana)
Unknown
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Fall Creek on Pendleton Avenue (Old SR 9)
Replaced by new bridge

Falls Island Bridge (St. Lawrence County, New York)
Built 1870 by the King Bridge Co.; Rehabilitated for pedestrian use 2007
Bowstring pony truss bridge over Grasse River on the Grasse River Heritage Trail
Open to pedestrians

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