Rating:
1 vote

Ankeny Luten Arch

Polk County, Iowa

Photos 

Photo provided by Hank Zaletel

View this photo on Flickr

BH Photo #246213

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Lost Luten arch bridge over Fourmile Creek on 1st Street
Location
Ankeny, Polk County, Iowa
Status
Destroyed by flooding
History
Built 1910; Damaged irreparably by flooding in 1917
Builder
- N.M. Stark & Co. of Des Moines, Iowa
Design
Luten arch
Dimensions
Total length: 40.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+41.73166, -93.57223   (decimal degrees)
41°43'54" N, 93°34'20" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/452410/4620141 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Des Moines NE
Inventory number
BH 55109 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Ankeny, Iowa (14)
Arch (12,241)
Built 1910 (1,173)
Built during 1910s (9,711)
Closed-spandrel arch (4,066)
Concrete inset railing (453)
Deck arch (11,479)
Destroyed by flood (483)
Fourmile Creek (Des Moines River Tributary) (13)
 Iowa (6,545)
Lost (25,263)
Lost 1917 (39)
Lost during 1910s (513)
Luten arch (96)
N.M. Stark & Co. (45)
Polk County, Iowa (276)
Total length 25-50 feet (11,234)

Update Log 

  • May 31, 2018: Updated by Luke: Added builder based on design cues
  • July 20, 2015: Updated by Luke: Added buil & loss dates + bridge length
  • January 3, 2013: Added by Luke Harden

Sources 

  • Luke
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Comments 

Ankeny Luten Arch
Posted January 4, 2013, by Luke Harden (lmharden [at] iastate [dot] edu)

The source on Flickr is a former IDOT worker, so I'm assuming there was a notation on the back stating it's in Ankeny. I've asked if he knows exactly where in Ankeny it was.

Ankeny Luten Arch
Posted January 4, 2013, by Clark Vance (cvance [at] dogmail [dot] com)

It's like the trick pictures on ebay--look in the reflection on the water, you can see everything!

Inquiring minds want to know--where is the source for this bridge? I'd like to hope it's still around and just misplaced....

Ankeny Luten Arch
Posted January 4, 2013, by Nathan Holth (form3 [at] historicbridges [dot] org)

When I clicked on the link to view in Flickr I got a message reading "This photo falls outside your current SafeSearch filter. You can click through to see it if you want." The photo is marked as "restricted." Its a false alarm apparently, since this bridge clearly has all its private parts covered in concrete. No naked bridges here.