Chestnut Avenue Bridge

Thanks to Nick's field visit, we can see that this bridge features a B.S. Co. Lackawanna brand. This brand indicates that the steel was fabricated after the merger of Bethlehem Steel and Lackawanna. You will only find this brand on bridges that were constructed in the 1920s onward.

Referring back to my previous comment about the scarcity of heavily constructed truss bridges from the 1920s and 30s in Kansas, it becomes apparent that a B.S. Co. Lackawanna brand would be a rare find in Kansas. The presence of this brand increases the local significance of this bridge.

Anybody who has spent time looking at truss bridges on the Kansas-Oklahoma border region is well aware of the fact that there is a very stark change in design as one crosses the state line.

Oklahoma is known for its massive membered and heavily constructed truss bridges that were generally built after about 1910, plus a few somewhat lighter bridges that were built between about 1900 and 1910. Oklahoma continued to build a variety of large, heavy truss bridges as the truss bridge era was winding down nationwide. Today, as one drives around Oklahoma, one is likely to encounter some large Parker trusses and Oklahoma's true specialty, the K Parker Truss. By contrast, Oklahoma has very few of the extremely lightweight Victorian era wrought iron truss bridges that can be found in states to the north and east.

After you cross into Kansas, the picture changes dramatically. Kansas has very few large, massive membered truss bridges from the 1920s and 1930s. During the latter part of the truss era, Kansas was building concrete Tee beams and Marsh Arch bridges. Surely these bridges would have cut into the number of trusses that were built at the time. Most of the remaining truss bridges in Kansas are the older and smaller lightweight, pin connected variety which are rare in Oklahoma.

This bridge, due to its massive construction, would fit in perfectly in Oklahoma. Yet and its current location, it is an outlier. A bridge like this is highly significant at the state level in Kansas, just as a wrought iron Victorian era truss would be extremely significant at the state level in Oklahoma.

Loved visiting this one today. Gorgeous from the side especially. And plaque stolen....of course...😤

Mr. Learned:

Thanks for posting that. I enjoyed reading the article. I am hoping that this bridge will be preserved. This is one of the few massive member riveted bridges in the area. I would come nearer expecting to see something like this in Oklahoma.

According to the attached clipping from the Arkansas City Daily Traveler, the E Chestnut bridge was constructed starting in early 1929, officially opening February 8th, 1930.

The area around this bridge is receiving international attention. A recent discovery of a ca. 1601 cannonball has practically confirmed local suspicions that Arkansas City was built roughly on the site of a major Native American city known as Etzanoa.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4426312/Etzanoa-long...