Blackwell Bridge

Photos

East end

Photo taken by Bettye Warner

BH Photo #107095

Overview: Lost three-span through truss bridge over Big River at Blackwell just beyond the end of Route CC
Location: St. Francois County, Missouri, and Jefferson County, Missouri
Status: Removed to make way for replacement bridge; east abutment remains
History: Built 1930-31; replaced 2004
Builders: - L.W. Fitzpatrick (Contractor of west pinned spans)
- Roll Blackwell (Contractor of east riveted span)
- Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Co. of St. Louis, Missouri (Fabricator of east riveted span)
Design: From west to east:
One 6-panel Pratt through truss
One 8-panel Pratt through truss (taller than the other spans)
One 8-panel Pratt through truss
One steel stringer approach span
Dimensions: Length of largest span: 141.0 ft.
Total length: 414.9 ft.
Deck width: 12.8 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 12.7 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude: +38.04460, -90.62036 (decimal degrees)
38°02'41" N, 90°37'13" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates: 15/708813/4213436 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:: Vineland
Land survey: T. 38 N., R. 4 E., Sec. 5
Inventory numbers: MO 050-376000.0 (Missouri off-system bridge number)
MONBI 22814 (Missouri bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 22599 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Blackwell Bridge

Posted July 26, 2009, by jake (jj2732 [at] sbcglobal [dot] net)

the bridge was also huanted along with the town of blackwell.

Blackwell Bridge

Posted August 2, 2006, by Gene Valle (mojavegene [at] hotmail [dot] com)

I am so sorry to see that the Blackwell Bridge is gone.

One of my favorite photos is of my late Father, James Valle

on the old bridge when he was a young and very fit lead miner.

Its memory and His, will live on thanks to everyone who has preserved these images.

Best Regards,Gene Valle

Blackwell Bridge

Posted June 30, 2006, by Marie Engledow Howland (wodelgne [at] aol [dot] com)

I lived in Jefferson county near Blackwell, untill

1951 when my parents moved to Utah. It is so sad to think

of the Blackwell bridge being gone. I have walked across

that bridge many many times. Sometimes I would ride my

mule to get groceries at Mr. Cole's store for my mom,

but no amount of coaxing would make my mule cross the

bridge. My husband and I thought of taking a trip back

this summer,but I don't suppose there is anyone living

there that I would know of after so many years.

Marie Engledow Howland

Stockton,California

Blackwell Bridge

Posted January 8, 2006, by Clayton Schlemeier (claytonvon [at] charter [dot] net)

I have heard stories that some of the steel for the bridge came from the 1904 World's Fair. Can anyone confirm??