Rating:
1 vote

Middle Creek Bridge

Franklin County, Kansas

Photos 

Middle Creek Bridge

East and south side of bridge, looking west

Photo taken by Nick Schmiedeler in September 2016

Enlarge

BH Photo #366152

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Pratt pony truss bridge over Middle Creek, 2.9 mi. north and 2.5 mi. east of Princeton
Location
Franklin County, Kansas
Status
Long abandoned with deck removed
History
Built 1908
Design
Pratt pony truss
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 80.0 ft.
Total length: 115.1 ft.
Deck width: 13.7 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+38.53535, -95.22243   (decimal degrees)
38°32'07" N, 95°13'21" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/306292/4267556 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Peoria
Land survey
T. 17 S., R. 20 E., Sec. 32
Average daily traffic (as of 2007)
5
Inventory numbers
KS 000301047505021 (Kansas local bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 17732 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Inspection report (as of November 2009)
Sufficiency rating: 18 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com

Categories 

Abandoned (3,681)
Built 1908 (713)
Built during 1900s (7,267)
Franklin County, Kansas (41)
Kansas (3,198)
Lattice Railing (217)
One-lane traffic (7,615)
Owned by county (20,872)
Pin-connected (3,932)
 Pony truss (16,262)
Pratt pony truss (3,658)
Pratt truss (9,361)
Span length 75-100 feet (6,454)
Structurally deficient (14,091)
Total length 100-125 feet (5,192)
Truss (33,021)
Wooden deck (6,084)

Update Log 

  • April 5, 2020: New photos from Nick Schmiedeler
  • January 7, 2018: Updated by Christopher Finigan: Added category "Pin-connected"
  • September 27, 2016: Updated by Tony Dillon: Updated status as bridge has been "found" again.
  • September 27, 2016: New photos from Nick Schmiedeler
  • August 18, 2016: Updated by Robert Elder: Lost.

Sources 

  • Robert Elder - robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com
  • Nick Schmiedeler - nick [at] nickschmiedeler [dot] com
  • Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
Post a comment here

Comments 

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted April 5, 2020, by Nick Schmiedeler (nick [at] nickschmiedeler [dot] com)

Re-visit today.....new photos, evidence of plaques that were once mounted on each side, and original stone abutment on west side....112 years old, thing is still solid except for a huge tree ding, this sucker is sooooo remote, fun time

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted September 29, 2016, by Nick Schmiedeler

You bet - a fun trip. Slight mistake in my comment below, the last part of the last sentence should read "the EAST entryway off rugged Jackson Road...."

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted September 27, 2016, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

That is great news. This is an interesting pony truss. Looks like it for a bit distorted by a falling tree. Thanks for venturing out there to find it.

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted September 27, 2016, by Nick Schmiedeler

Yes, bridge is back. I had followed a dropped pin on the last known location a few months ago, at some point the dropped pin was changed and I followed it again today ( Sept. 27, 2016) and found the bridge and it's correct location with the correct pin. A real survivor, but man getting to it was brutal - the west side entryway, Jackson Rd just east of Ottawa Airport, is chained off, the west entryway off rugged Jackson Rd in s crop field is a looooong hike, but worth it!!

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted September 27, 2016, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Did this bridge come back...minus the railings...?

I see some inriggers...

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted August 18, 2016, by Tony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

A real shame...This was a nice pony with extended railings.

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted August 18, 2016, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Thanks for the update. I have edited the page.

Middle Creek Bridge
Posted March 9, 2010, by Robert Elder (robertelder1 [at] gmail [dot] com)

KSHS page for this bridge:

http://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?tab=details&in=059-0000-...

Status remains unknown.