Dongola #1 Iron Bridge

There was originally a town of that name nearby.

It's only 350 Smoots from Dongola Indiana.

... and about 180 miles from Big Bone Lick, KY

It's a fact.

Where did the weird name "Dongola" come from? Anyone know?

I must say that I prefer the old name

Awesome to see this rare beauty and it's "Big Brother" to the North finally get some love.

Will be a key part of a spring visit!

A real beauty!

I love the job that was done on this and the Patoka Bridge just to the north! the road between them has been repaired and you can travel them both now. No Graffiti either!!!

Looks like rehab is moving along nicely

As of this spring there were signs posted on the south side indicating that the bridge (and possibly the other one north of it) is to be restored.

Currently closed to all but foot traffic.

That is the Upper Bluffton Bridge in Iowa that has been moved off the river and is now looking for a new home.

I guess that Julie must have posted it here for comparison purposes.

What is photo 33? It appears to be sitting in the middle of a field...

Closing this road to prevent construction traffic was suggested by the SHPO in section 5.0 of this documentation.

Also suggested was making funds available to repair both of these spans......I DO hope that comes to pass as well!

For those who want some denser reading dealing specifically with I-69:

http://www.deis.i69indyevn.org/DEIS_Sec2/2D_Appendix_O.pdf

According to the Gibson County Highway superintendant. He says that this road is closed pending construction of I-69. Here is the map of the route.

http://www.i69indyevn.org/PDF/Section2/map_PrefAlt_03.pdf

Julie, the rod you are referring to is something WIBC did with a number of its bridges from the era of the Upper Bluffton Bridge. I have also seen this detail on a bridge in London, Ontario, and built by a different company so it was not something only WIBC did.

Upper Bluffton has the diagonal going across two panels at either end and then horizontal rod going across the others through the center. Was that typical?

I've called my senators about help with the NRHP and the address locations for bridge reuse.

Webmaster's note: The photo that was here has been incorporated into the main site.

This one is more unique than Upper Bluffton due to it's double-intersecting counters. This "Pratt-variant" was apparently an experiment of David Hammond and WIBCo. There was another one in Indiana that is gone, but I believe there is one more of this type in Iowa.

It and another bridge up the road are part of a historic district and are rated Select in the Indiana Bridge Inventory. It should definitely be a high-priority candidate for restoration.

so similar to the Upper Bluffton. Would love to somehow cast the ornate ironwork above the signs for the Bluffton Bridge, Someone took those in the last couple of years. Do we see this stuff in antique stores or is the neighbors wanting a piece? It's not us bridgehunters, is it?

I think this bridge is closed now. The road has a cone in the middle, and since this was rated as Imminent failure, I would not be surprised if it was closed because of the flooding.

I loved these bridges when i visited them, the river was flooded. Had to walk and wade about a mile to get the bridge that is on the road about a mile down the river.

300 W... a great road, especially towards twilight on a summer evening. Two really old classic bridges completely covered with a tree canopy, There are points where its nearly pitch black.

This Bridge along with the one above it on CR300W are the bridges included in the Patoka River Bridges Historic District. Which makes me very happy.

This is a rare WIBC Pratt variant. Instead of the diagonals crossing two panels- as on a Whipple truss, on this bridge the counters cross two panels. There is another one sitting abandoned in Orange County, In. This bridge needs to be preserved.