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Indian Timothy Memorial Bridge

Asotin County, Washington

Photos 

Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record

View photos at Library of Congress

BH Photo #130819

Map 

Street View 

Description 

Alpowa Creek was first bridged in 1923 when this rainbow arch structure, consisting of two 100 foot spans, was built by the Pacific Construction Company of Spokane. The bridge is a half through structure on which the roadway is suspended at the midpoint of the ring arches from concrete beams. Constructing a bridge of this type requires a great deal of skill and complex formwork. Few were built in the inland northwest.

Timothy, who was born Temuutsu, led the Alpowa band of Nez Perce. He was the first of his people converted to Christianity by Henry H. Spalding and is credited with the rescue of surviving cavalry troopers after the defeat of Colonel Steptoe’s detachment by a combined force of Spokane, Couer d’Alene and Palouse Indians at the battle of Rosalia in 1858. His daughter, Jane, guided a party headed by E.D. Pierce to the upper Clearwater in 1860. Their discovery, near Orofino, set off the first Idaho gold rush. Jane later married John Silcott who started a Snake River ferry at the mouth of Alpowa creek in 1861.

E.V.Kuykendall, a Pomeroy lawyer, was Washington’s Director of Public Works when the bridge was planned. He was instrumental in the designation of the bridge as a memorial to Timothy in the authorizing legislation.

The town of Silcott was demolished and the highway was relocated prior to the completion of Lower Granite Dam in 1974. The Indian Timothy Bridge was bypassed and is preserved in place as an example of rare bridge architecture.

Facts 

Overview
Bypassed two-span through arch bridge over Alpowa Creek on US 12
Location
Asotin County, Washington
Status
Open to pedestrians only
History
Built 1923 by the Colonial Building Co.; bypassed by new bridge in 1974
Builders
- Colonial Building Co. of Spokane, Washington (Contractor)
- Pacific Construction Co. of Spokane, Washington
Design
Marsh arch - half through structure on which the roadway is suspended at the midpoint of the ring arches from concrete beams
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 100.0 ft.
Total length: 200.0 ft.
Recognition
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on July 16, 1982
Also called
Chief Timothy Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+46.41178, -117.21378   (decimal degrees)
46°24'42" N, 117°12'50" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
11/483569/5139822 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Silcott Island
Land survey
T. 8 N., R. 28 E., Sec. 18
Inventory numbers
NRHP 82004194 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 38419 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Arch (11,437)
Asotin County, Washington (9)
Built 1923 (578)
Built during 1920s (9,363)
Bypassed (157)
Colonial Building Co. (4)
HAER documented (1,103)
Have street view (24,957)
Marsh arch (63)
 NR-listed (2,860)
Open to pedestrians (3,759)
Owned by state (14,862)
Pacific Construction Co. of Spokane, Washington (1)
Rainbow arch (240)
Span length 100-125 feet (4,197)
Total length 175-250 feet (4,006)
US 12 (51)
Washington (1,191)

Update Log 

  • April 20, 2018: Updated by Richard Doody: Added historical data to description
  • April 15, 2018: New photos from Richard Doody
  • September 21, 2011: New photos from Michael Goff
  • July 24, 2009: New photos from Karl Sweitzer
  • December 22, 2008: Added by James Baughn

Sources 

  • HAER WA-85 - Indian Timothy Memorial Bridge
  • James Baughn - webmaster [at] bridgehunter [dot] com
  • Karl Sweitzer - kesc [at] pacbell [dot] net
  • Mike Goff - michael [dot] goff [at] hotmail [dot] com
  • Richard Doody
  • Wikipedia - Explains "Indian Timothy"

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