Onion Creek Bridge

I agree with the comments made by Nathan, Nick, and Tony. This one needs to be preserved, whether in place or in a park.

This bridge might be the only one of its kind anywhere in the United States and beyond.

Montgomery County has an incredible collection of historic bridges, and is a great Bridgehunter destination.

This is one that needs to be put at the top of the save list!

Looks like there are some parks in Coffeyville that it could be relocated to, it would be a shame to see it saved from demolition only to fall to neglect and Mother Nature!

It is good to have some recent photos on here. This bridge is on the national register of historic places and is hopefully safe from demolition. That being said, it is not safe from destruction by nature. The trees growing on and around this bridge are going to become a threat someday. This thing won't stand forever without maintenance.

Visited last week...unbelievably overgrown, had my share of ticks, chiggers and poison ivy that long bridgehunt weekend so didn't climb flimsy weed tree to get current shot of plaque, all but hidden from view otherwise. Otherwise, felt honored to be in the presence of such a unique and historic bridge. All things considered seems to be pretty solid...great one

I will NEVER condemn any situation that avoids demolition of a bridge. Leaving a bridge abandoned next to replacement instead of demolishing it is ALWAYS better than demolition. That said, common sense needs to prevail. Either the bridge needs to be maintained or it needs to be made available for reuse to someone who WILL maintain it. I visited this bridge last year and its getting quite overgrown. Its almost impossible to get a photo of the builder plaque. Yet the county has made it quite clear that this bridge is NOT available to someone willing to relocate and preserve it. This is a problem.

I have placed this bridge into two newly created categories; Bedstead Parker truss and Bedstead through truss. Note that this bridge is a bedstead unlike the Long Shoals Bridge which simply features vertical endposts, but is not a bedstead. http://www.bridgehunter.com/ks/bourbon/long-shoals/

I created the new categories hoping that other bridges might be added, if there are any other bridges of this type.

Anthony:

I had a look at the plaque on the Pipe Creek bridge, and it is appears that the Western Bridge Co. and the Stupp Brothers used a similar, and in some cases identical, plaques. I had not noticed this before.

As for this bridge, it has been listed on the NRHP, so that should give it some protection from demolition, but of course does not guarantee restoration.

Montgomery County has a nice collection of historic bridges, and four are NRHP listed. Thus, it appears that there has been some interest in the preservation of bridges within the county.

The three others include:

A 1926 four-span Marsh Arch http://www.bridgehunter.com/ks/montgomery/dewlen/

An 1871 two-span Bowstring http://www.bridgehunter.com/ks/montgomery/independence-bowst...

A 1911 single span closed-spandrel arch http://www.bridgehunter.com/ks/montgomery/630997206828/

Note that the closed-spandrel was built by the same company, in the same year as the Onion Creek Bridge.

Wow Robert!.....It would appear that in the process of tearing out the approaches they uncovered a hidden treasure! I can't see them busting out the abutments and then "propping" the bridge up on crutches, so I would assume that this is indeed a Bedstead. I had looked at this bridge before, but being as there are some other Parkers with vertical endposts, I didn't think any more of it. I hope that historians in the area are made aware of just how significant this bridge is. I have seen many bedstead ponies that had their legs hidden in concrete.

In looking at the Western Bridge Company and some of their other spans, the plaque on the Pipe Creek Bridge might suggest some relation to Stupp Brothers as it is similar to one of theirs.

Bridge is still standing, looks to have been mounted on new steel beams in original location. Area around bridge has been cleared of brush.

This bridge was still standing as of March 2003. The floor boards have been removed and the area around the bridge is becomming overgrown with saplings. The bridge can be seen easily from the new bridge that was built immediately to the west.