Drew Bridge

Someone is full of crap. There is no way a bridge this size is moved to a suspension bridge nearby, fixed, and then reinstalled in two weeks. The permits alone would take longer. This is obviously the same person making this prank.

So just to show how high the water has been along with records here is a chart showing the current, the highest in the last 365 days and historical. This is the closest gage which is located at the Hal W Adams Bridge. I'm happy to say that this particular spot hasn't hit flood stage since 1948. Chart provided by the USGS. Link provided.

https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/id=wwchart_ftc&site_no=02320000

Local Resident,

I'm curious what the true extent of the damage is. Comparing my photos to Nathan Holths, there is no distinguishing difference. However, you are correct that I am not a local. I live a 23 hour drive from the structure, and based my field report on what I found. When did these flash floods occur? I am curious to the water levels then.

Thanks Robert for letting me know about the pictures John posted.Looks to me like the bridge is still standing,huh?What I also want to know is why this "local resident" is so argumentative with everybody?

George:

John Marvig did get out to the bridge and he photographed it. He has confirmed that the bridge is still standing on the pylon.

Several weeks ago, somebody by the name of Amanda was posting on here and claiming that the bridge had been knocked into the river by a flood. Her comments got removed because she was deliberately posting disinformation and also posting copyrighted materials.

I have a great idea which nobody has thought of.Maybe someone can get out to this bridge and document it instead of just arguing and guessing what's going on with the bridge.Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

That's not how physics works. If the bridge was moved off the pier, the tree would've gone with it.

Because Nathan received an email, probably from the exact same IP address as "Amanda".

Yet another occasion this Futurama clip has been apropos regarding "Amanda" and their BS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vIBijzg4w

Well, well, well. I did some forensic analysis on the IP number used by both "Local Resident" and "Amanda".

And what did I find? This little beauty of a link:

https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Wikipedia:Long-term_abuse/I_Lo...

Wikipedia has banned a particular user, "I Love Bridges", for the "Creation of hoax bridge articles, and meddling with existing ones."

The same IP number used by Amanda is mentioned on that page. It has been banned from Wikipedia for a year because of long-term abuse.

Good riddance, Amanda. Wikipedia was right to ban you, but I'm not willing to settle for a one year ban. You and your hoaxes and copyright violations are not welcome here ever again.

I was shocked, shocked to discover that the first comment from "Local Resident" was posted from the same IP number used by Amanda in the past, and that this IP number is registered to an internet provider that is 1,200 miles away from the Drew Bridge.

I've tried to follow the advice of "Don't feed the trolls" but this is getting ridiculous.

Local resident,

Are there any pictures of the restoration and resetting process? I've not seen a bridge like this survive a fall into a river without sustaining some damage. What apparently caused the bridge to fall in? And if it fell in once, why was the decision made to have a structure in danger of imminent failure placed back on the same pier?

What a nice surprise sadly we can not say the same for Matt and the Auburn Bridge.

What’s better than driving 3 hours to find a collapsed bridge? Driving three hours to find the bridge intact. It looks like it was just a ruse by a troll somewhere that reported it...

If it sustained heavy damage, best thing Florida could do is keep the remains preserved as a landmark, with a sign that says “this is what happens when you ignore history”. Another bridge from the “hit list” to the “shit list”. It’s a damn shame...

The bridge has indeed reportedly collapsed but as I understand was salvaged and is in a fenced off area near the Mayo suspension bridge.

Found this nice shot of the bridge:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95912605@N03/19691109791/in/ph...

Blake,

As a followup to my evaluation of this bridge's significance, I have submitted request to Florida State Historic Preservation Office to list the bridge on the National Register of Historic Places. The process moves REALLY slow, but supposedly Florida SHPO is doing its own research on the bridge as well. My hope is that a listing would increase awareness of the bridge.

I am absolutely amazed at what I read about the Drew Bridge. I can honestly say that I know very little about bridges. I just knew that I had been fascinated by this old swing bridge since I was a small child and thought that it deserved some recognition, as few people in our town knew it existed. I never thought it could be one of the oldest railroad bridges in the country. The two counties really don't know what they've got sitting there in the river and I wish more could be done to preserve it.

Good luck with your research Nathan.

Regards,

Art S.

Art,

Yes, the Clays Ferry Bridge is a bridge from the same era I believe this bridge to be from. As far as builder, it is an interesting possibility, the similarities of the portal bracing are somewhat striking. The castings and connection details are quite a bit different. It does offer a potential direction for research however.

Nathan,

Based on the design cues could it be of the same period and maker as this one:

http://bridgehunter.com/ky/fayette/clays-ferry-old/

Regards,

Art S.

I visited this bridge and discovered it has cast iron struts and other fascinating details. Its unusual details and use of cast iron make it potentially one of the oldest surviving swing bridges in the USA. My analysis, findings, and photos are here: http://www.historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowse...

Most likely because, at that point in time, most sailing ships either used sails of were powered by a motor and had large smokestacks that would have likey hit and damaged the bridge. That's just a theory though.

Does anyone know why it was used as a rotating bridge? Why not just have a solid bridge installed?

Unfortunately no preservation efforts have been made. It has been sitting in this position, untouched since the 1920's. At one point there was the idea to use it as a normal traffic bridge, but no efforts towards that have been made either.

Have any preservation efforts been initiated?

All I can say is wow! This may be one of the oldest and most important historic bridges in Florida. If it was moved in 1899, think how old it may be in reality.

Excellent catch!