Rating:
3 votes

Clarks Creek Bridge

Geary County, Kansas

Photos 

Clarks Creek Bridge - south and west side looking east

Photo taken by Nick Schmiedeler in October 2016

Enlarge

BH Photo #366437

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Pratt pony truss bridge over Clarks Creek, 3.5 mi. south and 4.0 mi. east of Wreford
Location
Geary County, Kansas
Status
Derelict/abandoned
History
Built ca. 1910
Design
Pinned Pratt pony truss of 5 panels
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 79.0 ft.
Total length: 127.9 ft.
Deck width: 16.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+38.90670, -96.77152   (decimal degrees)
38°54'24" N, 96°46'17" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
14/693231/4308783 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Wreford
Inventory numbers
KS 000310881504505 (Kansas local bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 17742 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Abandoned (3,246)
Built during 1910s (9,093)
Geary County, Kansas (33)
Kansas (2,905)
Owned by county (19,493)
Pony truss (15,437)
Pratt pony truss (3,312)
 Pratt truss (8,374)
Span length 75-100 feet (6,062)
Structurally deficient (17,446)
Total length 125-175 feet (5,515)
Truss (30,577)
Wooden deck (5,973)

Update Log 

  • October 3, 2016: Updated by Tony Dillon: Added truss type
  • October 2, 2016: New photos from Nick Schmiedeler
  • September 15, 2011: Updated by Robert Elder: Moved the balloon to the correct location - bridge appears to be extant.

Sources 

  • Robert Elder - robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com
  • Nick Schmiedeler - nick [at] nickschmiedeler [dot] com
  • Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
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Comments 

Clarks Creek Bridge
Posted October 3, 2016, by K. Allen Ballard (speedeeprint [at] gmail [dot] com)

Nice Find Nick! THX for your efforts & sharing a great old relic like this one.

Clarks Creek Bridge
Posted October 3, 2016, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Anthony:

I also thought that the stilts looked like they might be from an older bridge. Your theory about the current bridge being moved in is certainly plausible.

Clarks Creek Bridge
Posted October 3, 2016, by Tony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Although the cut stone substucture might suggest original location, I have to wonder if this pony might have been brought in to replace an earlier (possible through truss) bridge at this location. The current "stilts" that the structure is resting upon appears to have possibly been fabricated from another bridge, suggesting that it might have been cobbled together on a shoestring budget to serve light traffic for a season.

Clarks Creek Bridge
Posted October 2, 2016, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

This is a rather long pony truss. The substructure is quite interesting as it consists of laced members. Not sure how much longer this one will stand. I have never attempted to visit it.

Clarks Creek Bridge
Posted October 2, 2016, by Nick Schmiedeler

Ventured through the rough forest today, east across from Hoff Rd. and found this old beauty - interesting old grown-over roads approaching on curve to bridge on west side, and exiting road off bridge on east side also on sharp curve. A tall jump up onto platform, and VERY precarious across rotten and crumbling planks to other side - danger level HIGH if wanting to traverse bridge but merely seeking it out and enjoying its rustic survivor charm very worth it