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Tuscumbia Swinging Bridge

Miller County, Missouri

Photos 

Historic postcard

BH Photo #106313

Map 

Description 

Built for the Tuscumbia Bridge Company by Joseph Dice and operated as a toll bridge. MO highway 17 had a break at the river so residents successfully lobbied for a wider, free bridge which replaced this one in 1932, completing MO 17 through the county.

Facts 

Overview
Lost swinging bridge over Osage River at Tuscumbia on what is now MO 17
Location
Miller County, Missouri
Status
Replaced by a new bridge
History
Built 1905 by Joseph Dice; replaced 1932
Builder
- Joseph Dice
Design
Wire suspension
Dimensions
Total length: 618.0 ft.
Deck width: 12.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+38.23483, -92.44961   (decimal degrees)
38°14'05" N, 92°26'59" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/548168/4232014 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Tuscumbia
Land survey
T. 40 N., R. 14 W., Sec. 11
Inventory number
BH 22054 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Built 1905 (747)
Built during 1900s (6,674)
Joseph Dice (14)
Lost (20,983)
Lost 1932 (43)
Lost during 1930s (456)
MO 17 (10)
Miller County, Missouri (34)
Missouri (6,075)
 Osage River (27)
Owned privately (1,473)
Replaced by new bridge (13,776)
Suspension (642)
Toll (139)
Total length 500-1000 feet (2,625)
Wire/cable Suspension (139)
Wooden deck (5,975)

Update Log 

  • April 12, 2019: Updated by Clark Vance: History and data
  • April 2, 2007: Posted photos of remaining artifacts

Related Bridges 

Sources 

  • Darrin Williams - DWilliams [at] Watlow [dot] com
  • Bridgemeister.com
  • Historicbridges.org - by Nathan Holth
  • MO DOT - History of the successor including history of this original
  • Clark Vance - cvance [at] dogmail [dot] com
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Comments 

Tuscumbia Swinging Bridge
Posted March 25, 2010, by Darrin (dw1970 [at] centurytel [dot] net)

I was wrong about the total length of this bridge. It was actually only about 600' long. It was, however, the most challenging bridge Joe Dice built due to the high bluff on the opposite side of the Osage.

Sorry for the misinformation. . .

Tuscumbia Swinging Bridge
Posted February 3, 2006, by Darrin (dwilliams [at] watlow [dot] com)

Due to the terrain, I think this was Joe Dice's most challenging feat of engineering. This was also the longest bridge he built. It measure close to 800' in length!