Fort Benton Bridge

Photos 

Bridge in 2004. Missouri River Mile 1.

Photo taken by Mark Frazier in October 2004

Enlarge

BH Photo #133567

Map 

Street Views 

• View #1
• View #2

Facts 

Overview

Completed by the Benton Bridge Co. as a toll bridge to connect Judith River Basin trade with the Great Northern RR and Missouri River shipping. Chouteau Co. purchased the bridge in 1896. Vehicle traffic was closed in 1963.

Location

Fort Benton, Chouteau County, Montana

Status

Open to pedestrians

History

Built in 1888 by Benton Bridge Co. as toll bridge. Chouteau County purchased 1896. The swing span was lost to flood 1908, and replaced with fixed span in 1921. Closed to traffic in 1963.

Builders

- Haney & Ryan (Substructure)
- Milwaukee Bridge & Iron Works of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Original Trusses)
- O.E. Peppard of Missoula, Montana (1908-1925 Timber Stringer & Relocated Parker truss)

Design

(Right descending bank to left): 75-foot Pratt through truss. 3, 175-foot Baltimore through trusses, 225-foot Pratt truss swing span (replaced with Parker through truss).

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 225.0 ft.
Total length: 825.0 ft.

Recognition

Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on August 6, 1980

Also called

Old Bridge

Approximate latitude, longitude

+47.81648, -110.66601   (decimal degrees)
47°48'59" N, 110°39'58" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

12/525002/5295957 (zone/easting/northing)

Quadrangle map:

Fort Benton

Land survey

T. 24 N., R. 8 E., Sec. 23

Elevation

2632 ft. above sea level

Inventory numbers

NRHP 80002406 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 39920 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Update Log 

• May 16, 2019: New Street View added by Dana and Kay Klein
• August 11, 2017: Updated by Christopher Finigan: Added category "Pin-connected"
• June 3, 2016: Updated by Luke: Added info on the relocated span
• February 23, 2014: New photos from Jack Schmidt
• November 9, 2011: Photos imported by Jason Smith
• April 20, 2010: New Street View added by J.P.
• February 16, 2009: Added by Mark Frazier

Related Bridges 

• 1st Avenue North Bridge (Older) (Parts reused from)

Sources 

• Mark Frazier - mfrazier404 [at] gmail [dot] com
• J.P. - wildcatjon2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
• HAER MT-9 - Fort Benton Bridge, Spanning Missouri River, Fort Benton, Chouteau, MT
• Jack Schmidt - jjturtle [at] earthlink [dot] net
• Luke
• Conveniences Sorely Needed: Montana's Historic Highway Bridges, 1860-1956 - Book
• Dana and Kay Klein

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