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Matsell Bowstring Bridge

Linn County, Iowa

Photo 

1928

Courtesy of the Cedar Rapids Gazette

View this photo at newspapers.com

BH Photo #511719

Map 

Description 

"Matsell Bridge is a steel plate girder crossing the Wapsipinicon River some six miles northeast of Springville in eastern Linn County. This structure replaced a substantial earlier bridge consisting of a 100-foot through truss, a 140-foot bowstring truss, a 50-foot pony truss, and a 12-foot approach span. This assemblage was erected by the county between 1870 and 1906"

Facts 

Overview
Lost Bowstring through truss bridge over Wapsipinicon River on Matsell Road
Location
Linn County, Iowa
Status
Replaced by a new bridge
History
Built 1870; Replaced 1939
Builder
- Wrought Iron Bridge Co. of Canton, Ohio
Design
140'Bowstring through truss
100' through truss
50' pony truss
12'approach span.
Also called
Matsell Ford Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+42.13024, -91.38357   (decimal degrees)
42°07'49" N, 91°23'01" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/633597/4665501 (zone/easting/northing)
Inventory number
BH 95021 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (8,412)
Bowstring through truss (332)
Bowstring truss (671)
Built 1870 (162)
Built during 1870s (1,277)
Iowa (6,794)
Linn County, Iowa (251)
Lost (28,567)
Lost 1939 (73)
 Lost during 1930s (872)
Pin-connected (4,729)
Pony truss (17,024)
Replaced by new bridge (19,430)
Through truss (16,834)
Truss (35,524)
Wapsipinicon River (82)
Wrought Iron Bridge Co. (443)

Update Log 

  • December 3, 2021: Updated by Luke: Added builder per HAER article on another bridge
  • November 8, 2021: New photo from Luke

Related Bridges 

Sources 

  • Luke

Comments 

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