Old Richardsville Road Bridge

Yikes!

Repairs on this bridge have begun. While the decision to repair this bridge rather than demolish it is to be applauded, the work is not what a bridge historian would call "restoration" indeed one of the most bizarre repairs I have ever seen on a bridge, the use of adjustable house beam jacks for vertical members, is being continued as part of this repair. The old jacks had cracked, suggesting the use of residential house support jacks may not be suited to bridge construction. Additionally, the work was only available to DOT prequalified contractors, no special provisions for the work to be done by experts in historic bridge restoration such as Bach Steel were included.

https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/work-begins-on-historic-old...

They finally have funding for restoration.

https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/county-secures-state-fundin...

County decided to preserve as a road before the 2018 Judge election and the cabinet came in to bid a full engineering scope. We were supposed to be contacted on Means and Methods with our engineer but haven't heard from DPW of Warren County in some time. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was spending significant funds on the engineers.

Glad you got there Ben. Crazy bridge rehab there. Did you see those shoes and posts?

Any updates on this bridge?

You found it. Outstanding.

This image is dated 1886, only 3 years earlier than the 1889 date listed for the bridge. But, I think it pretty solidly establishes that a 3 span Bowstring bridge (without the blocky top braces) on stone piers was there prior to 1889. Wilkerson Island and the boatlanding (complete with packet steamer at the landing) are plainly visible in the background.

https://westernkentuckyuniversity.pastperfectonline.com/phot...

that is awesome info. I've included it in our letter to the county with a credit to your historic finds. I know that the county clerk has great interest and this map fits in. Keep it up. and THANK YOU.

I just stumbled up on something a bit more interesting. I hope I'm not wearing out my welcome. I just love that old bridge. :)

This is a map showing some kind of permanent river crossing (bridge?) in that exact location. The map was draw up by D.G. Beers & Co. In 1877. :)

https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3953w.la000242/?r=0.365,0.871,...

A creative engineer in the late 1880s that ordered sale parts to create a bridge? Thanks so much because i coukdnt find maos to support the iron. I think we have an incredible hybrid bridge here. I have talked to David Simmons and seen patents, but your research goes along with what Nels is saying too.

Please feel free. Most of the information came from the WKU archives and the KY Digital Library. Just let me know if you need links to the articles.

Great research. We are submitting a proposal to repair and reopen. May i use some of what you have found?

This is turning out to be a lot of fun. I've still not found anything referencing a bridge prior to the 1889 date on the plaque, but I have found out a lot of "big picture" info that would support a bridge being built there out of necessity at the end of the war. Bowling Green was actually a major transportation "hub" at the time, with the Railroad (north-south) crossing paths with the Barren-Green river system (east-west). The retreating Confederates destroyed the railroad bridge, and those retreating from the town of Woodbury dumped boulders and scrap iron into the lock chamber at the dam. The lock and dam at Woodbury locked up the confluence of both the Green and Barren rivers, and totally stopped all steamboat and packet travel above that point. The Union Army had the railroad bridge repaired before the end of the war, but the damage to the locks was not, and the system was allowed to deteriorate for the rest of the war. When the war ended, no action was taken on the river until 1868, when the government leased navigation to a private company, and it was around 1870/71 before they got the river open again. Building a bridge would have been a perfect solution to getting producers of goods north of the river access to the railroad. In fact, the path of the original Richardsville Road made a short loop around to where the small scale "portage railroad" ended near the docks. It's very possible the bridge was built in a "get 'er done" fashion in the late 1860's, with strengthening and improvements done at the later dates.

We were thinking late 1860s. Thanks for the research.

If it's of any help...Bowling Green was the Confederate capital of Kentucky early in the civil war, and several good maps were drawn up of the area for military use. As of 1863/64, there was not a bridge there, nor was there even a road in that location. It would have to had been late 1860's at the very earliest.

The team visits this bridge for Warren County. We will be providing an estimate for the engineers working drawings and repairs to the county as as soon as possible.

Cant wait to delve more into the history of incredible trabsformation of this bridge.

James... the issue is more complex than that. If the bridge can be proven to be one of the oldest bridges in Kentucky than this raises its state level of significance... giving it a better chance of funding. If the bridge can be proven to be one of the oldest king bowstrings in the country, this raises its national significance... giving it a better chance of funding. Here are the facts:

1. Unusual shoes and bottom chord details at the end unlike those ever seen before

2. Bottom chord eyebar/pin/splice matches ca 1871 details of Springfield Bridge in Arkansas. Does not use the knife design used in later bowstrings.

3. Archaic King Bridge Company plaque design on bowstring top chord, older than the usual oval shape used on bowstrings.

4. 1889 King plaque on overhead bracing. Purpose/origin unknown. Research needed.

5. On the overhead bracing (not original to the bowstring), Carnegie brand with an inset "H" at the last "e" is a logo used starting in the 1920s. Thus suggesting the existing bracing seen was installed in the 1920s. Research needed.

I cannot claim to know the exact history, but with research it would be nice to prove a theory that the bowstring truss was fabricated by King Bridge in the late 1860s to early 1870s, with "something" happening in 1889 and "something" happening in the 1920s.

It does matter for these old bridges to figure out the story and not believe engineers who have their own fiscal agendas now or historians who dont quite know and do your own homework. It's an old bridge, modified early, for stength and height, which allowed it to stay open. Hopefully we can get back to open so a few folks can actually drive across. That's what is important. 20 years is a big deal and we have done our research to further the discussion.

I am going to throw my 2 cents in here....

Some of you think its an 1889 bridge and some of you think its an 1860's bridge.

I say its an old bridge.

There.

Issue settled.

The bridge will live on.

Not an 1889 bowstring. How do we fact check NRHP..

Details and research. The shoes are a fix according to David Simmons but this is an early King bowstring because of the patents and details and placque.

We're researching. Floating possibilities and discussuon, talking. The community is larger than you can imagine, a lot of it not on here because of the bashing when there is much fun to be had.

Weve got the contract to see if BACH and gang can get it open by repairing the problemd.

Glad I questioned and looked and noted from site visits but i dont post much here anymore.

This detail, late 1860s for the bowstring. Slotted and square. Not round, threaded with a nut.

http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/should-the-county-spend-what...

It's a poll. Join in if you wish.

The bridge is in no danger, but may have to be closed to vehicle traffic. It's currently closed "pending further inspection".

http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/historic-richardsville-bridg...

Flooring is currently undergoing replacement -

http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/Repairs-Temporarily-Close...

RIP Mr. Garvin. Hopefully the bridge will live on as part of his legacy.

Can someone with the appropriate editorial powers move Michael Page's post so that it is associated with this bridge?

What a fantastic bridge!

I didn't know about this one until the day I came across a picture of it......on a Jones Soda bottle.

I still have that bottle.....much to my wife's chagrin!

Fortunately, it appears that the deterioration of the bridge is restricted to the wood that the deck is made of, which is easy and cheap to replace, and doesn't affect historic integrity.

great photos.

I took these pictures Jan26, 2011 in a blanketing snow.

Although this bridge was beautifully restored 2 decades ago, it's beginning to fall into disrepair again. I rode a motorcycle across the bridge recently, and noticed that several deck boards had fallen completely through.

The bridge may very well be haunted, I have no idea. But as for cars rolling across it; I've kayaked under it, and the bridge is on a slight incline. I'd wager that basketballs and beer kegs would roll across it too.

Just an observation...

A nice article in the local paper about David Garvin, the man who pretty much saved the Richardsville Road and State Street bridges in Warren County, KY single handed, with his own money.

http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2010/04/02/news/news5.txt

Some friend and I went on the bridge last night and our car really did get pushed all the way to the other side of the bridge when we were in neutral. we didn't put powder on the car for handprints but we plan to go back and try again. Do you know the story behind it? who the woman is and all that? I really would love to know.

thanks,

Morgan

i have heard ghost stories of this bridge ever since i was little and i was just wondering if any body knew if they were true? they were about a girl who got killed and they say if you stop she will push you across the bridge and that if you but powder on your trunk you will see her had prints. please e-mail me back!!!!

Glad to see pictures of this bridge. I have been looking for information on it since I "found" it on a Jones Soda bottle. I knew from looking at it that it was a King B.C. product, and that it was very long. Thanks for the pics.