Indian Timothy Memorial Bridge
Photos
Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record
View photos at Library of Congress
BH Photo #130819
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)
Update Log
- August 6, 2021: New photos from John Bernhisel
- May 3, 2020: New photos from Patrick Gurwell
- August 29, 2019: Updated by Clark Vance: Added category "Marsh arch"
- 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"
- Patrick Gurwell - pgurwell [at] gmail [dot] com
- John Bernhisel - Johnmbernhisel [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
Robert is correct. There are several small scale Marsh arches in Iowa with no bracing.
Some Marsh Arch Bridges have a brace between the arches and some do not. It generally depends on the span length.
There are a few factors that distinguish a Marsh Arch from a regular rainbow arch. Perhaps the main difference is the fact that Marsh Arch Bridges use a special type of reinforcing. There is actually a bonafide steel arch structure under that concrete instead of just rebar.
I could be wrong but doesn't a Marsh Arch have a element across the top between the arch tops.
Since Marsh isn't listed as the engineer a/o builder it may not carry the name. I consider any of the concrete arches of this type to go by the name Marsh just as we use Pratt even if not built by them. If there is a consistent classification we use on this site I'll always try to follow the convention.
Just my $0.02 - but this appears to be a Rainbow Arch, but not a Marsh Arch.
There is no category for Marsh pony arch so choosing Marsh Arch automatically determines "through" but Marsh can be added manually.
Shouldn't this be listed as a pony arch rather than a through arch?
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/wa/asotin/indian-timothy/
Sadly in August 2021 the name plate and historic information are gone. There is a lot of graffiti on the arches.