Rating:
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Dragoon Creek Bridge

Osage County, Kansas

Photos 

This abandoned bridge is located near the waterworks plant east of US 56 at the Dragoon Creek Bridge. The area south of the bridge is private property.

Photo taken by Robert Elder in March 2007

Enlarge

BH Photo #112581

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Abandoned pratt through truss bridge over Dragoon Creek
Location
Osage County, Kansas
Status
Abandoned
History
Built 1899
Builder
- Kansas City Bridge Co. of Kansas City, Missouri
Design
Five panel, pin connected Pratt through truss
Approximate latitude, longitude
+38.71045, -95.83600   (decimal degrees)
38°42'38" N, 95°50'10" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/253406/4288463 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Osage City
Land survey
T. 15 S., R. 14 E., Sec. 27
Inventory number
BH 36329 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (7,567)
Abandoned (3,650)
Built 1899 (396)
Built during 1890s (2,982)
Kansas (3,192)
Kansas City Bridge Co. (136)
 Osage County, Kansas (73)
Pin-connected (3,901)
Pratt through truss (5,393)
Pratt truss (9,300)
Through truss (15,070)
Truss (32,794)

Update Log 

  • November 1, 2019: New photos from Ron Reber
  • November 6, 2016: New photos from Nick Schmiedeler
  • April 29, 2013: Updated by Tony Dillon: Fixed coordinates
  • February 3, 2010: Updated by Robert Elder: Adjusted GPS Coordinates.
  • January 18, 2010: Updated by Robert Elder: Edited Builders
  • July 30, 2008: Updated by Robert Elder: Updated Categories.
  • March 1, 2008: Updated by Robert Elder

Sources 

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

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted March 10, 2017, by Clark Vance (cvance [at] dogmail [dot] com)

Hi Ciara:

Also check out a comment below from a possible relative with his email address.

Let us know what you find out.

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted March 10, 2017, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Hi Ciara:

I am not certain who owns the land to the south. I generally rely on county GIS maps to find ownership. Some counties provide more online resources than other counties, so this can be a bit of a hit or miss venture.

http://www.osageco.org/CountyDepartments/Appraiser/tabid/364...

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted March 10, 2017, by Ciara (ciara [dot] travis2 [at] gmail [dot] com)

I traced my family back to here -- Nicolay family? I can't remember which of my family it was, Johann Jakob Nicolay or Jacob Ephraim Nicolay, but I've traced my family back to here and when they purchased the land. Is it still owned by the Nicolay family?

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted November 6, 2016, by Dana

Dude You Rock!

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted November 6, 2016, by Nick Schmiedeler

Rolled up on this one via access road yesterday, very pretty spot....added more photos, waterfall right next to it, fun visit

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted May 2, 2016, by John Nicolay (jnicolay [at] comcast [dot] net)

My grandparents farmed not far from bridge and I include this photo of the bridge ~ 1920.

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted August 25, 2010, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

That is a great story! It really illustrates how a bridge can add character to a region.

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted August 24, 2010, by Anthony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Always love to hear the fascinating stories involving historic bridges. I share some of the same sentiments of my earlier lifetime as well. Maybe you could scan and post your drawing of this span for us to see.

Dragoon Creek Bridge
Posted August 23, 2010, by Tom Robb (hawkypuck [at] webtv [dot] net)

I loved this bridge. I remember Dad and Mom would make a special trip west of highway 75 just so I could go over this bridge as we made our way down to Burlington, Ks to visit my great-grandmother in the 1950's. This bridge was so special to me I did a 24 x 28 pen and ink drawing of it with the 1896 plate attached to the top of the bridge. I did this picture in the 1970's when it was still open to traffic. I lived in Wakarusa at the time. This bridge, among others, inspired me recently in the last 3 years to do now 13 bridges in pen and ink and ink and watercolor using a pointilism process. I now have bridges from Kansas, Oklahoma (where I live), Missouri, and Arkansas. And to think that thru truss, iron bridge on the Dragoon was my earliest inspiration. Along with standing on the Kansas Avenue Bridge at age 5 and feeling the rush of the '51 flood water about 2 feet under me. Thank you Bob Elder (and others too) who make it your goal to photograph all these wonderful bridges.