Rating:
6 votes
Baxter Bridge
Photos
One of two crossings featuring Baltimore through truss bridges in area
Photo taken in October 2010 by Calvin Sneed
BH Photo #180662
Facts
- Overview
- Abandoned Baltimore through truss bridge over Cumberland River, Clover Fork on KY 840
- Location
- Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky
- Status
- Abandoned
- Future prospects
- Available for reuse
- History
- Built 1924-1925 by the Vincennes Bridge Company, served as the U.S. 119 Bridge, old U.S. 421 junction at north end. Bypassed in 1977 with the opening of the new US 421 bridge. Closed 1993.
- Builder
- - Vincennes Bridge Co. of Vincennes, Indiana
- Design
- Baltimore through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 149.9 ft.
Total length: 306.1 ft.
Deck width: 20.0 ft.
- Also called
- Old 119 Bridge
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +36.85781, -83.32334 (decimal degrees)
36°51'28" N, 83°19'24" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 17/292877/4081618 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Harlan
- Elevation
- 1175 ft. above sea level
- Inventory numbers
- KY 048*0840*B0051 (Kentucky bridge number)
KY 048B00051N (Kentucky bridge number)
KY 048-B00051N (Kentucky bridge number)
BH 46408 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- June 17, 2014: New Street View added by J.P.
- April 9, 2011: Updated by James Gonzalski: Added inventory number
- October 4, 2010: Added by Calvin Sneed
Sources
- Calvin Sneed - us43137415 [at] yahoo [dot] com
- James Gonzalski
- J.P. - wildcatjon2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
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This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/ky/harlan/bh46408/
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/ky/harlan/bh46408/
That's more than likely kudzu on the bridge. When in bloom, it has little pink/purple flowers that smell sweet (sickeningly sweet).
They put a bunch around the mountains back in the 1930-40's trying to help fight erosion. It may have helped with erosion, but it liked the environment so much that it grew like a cancer. Many places in Appalachia are practically smothered by it today. My family has a cemetery in Loyall (a mile-or-so downstream from this bridge) and the only time you can get to it is when the kudzu has died down in winter.
It can be used for fiber. One of its medicinal properties has to do with alcoholism. Purportedly, if you use it for an herbal remedy, alcoholics will still drink, but be satisfied (therefore drink less alcohol) sooner. I've tried it and it kinda works. I just don't want it around my area as that would cause a disaster in regard to local farming.