It's been ever so long since the LH and I explored the countryside surrounding the Hassayampa River way south of town. So when friend Georgene asked if I wanted to drive down to see the maintenance work being done on the Wagoner Road bridge, I was already putting my boots on and checking out the cameras.
We had to ford the river on the road reserved for trucks carrying large loads. The bridge can be seen in the distance.
This is one of three steel truss bridges in Yavapai County; all are on the National Register of Historic Places. The other two are the Walnut Creek bridge in the western half of the forest and the
Verde River bridge at Perkinsville.
Here's the one-lane bridge in all its glory -- minus the decking. The fresh paint job glows in today's warm sun.
According to an article at the
Sharlot Hall website, this bridge differs from the other [steel bridges] in the county, having
a different profile (called "riveted Camelback through truss") and was built on the spot in 1924, designed by the El Paso Bridge and Iron Company and contracted by Carnegie Steel. 
Getting the job done, of course, requires all sorts of road fix-it gear...
Sitting beside the road: one of my most-hated objects -- an ugly precast barrier used by the highway folk on modern bridges. Contrast it, if you will, with that lovely, open trusswork below. Which would you rather see? (Not to mention the fact that one can view the river through the truss but not through the precast.) I don't know why these barriers are on the scene, since registered historic sites can't be mucked about with. Thank goodness.
The river crossing as we headed for home displayed the bare cottonwoods at their most beautiful. Thanks, G., for the ride!
It's been ever so long since the LH and I explored the countryside surrounding the Hassayampa River way south of town. So when friend Georgene asked if I wanted to drive down to see the maintenance work being done on the Wagoner Road bridge, I was already putting my boots on and checking out the cameras.
We had to ford the river on the road reserved for trucks carrying large loads. The bridge can be seen in the distance.
This is one of three steel truss bridges in Yavapai County; all are on the National Register of Historic Places. The other two are the Walnut Creek bridge in the western half of the forest and the Verde River bridge at Perkinsville.
Here's the one-lane bridge in all its glory -- minus the decking. The fresh paint job glows in today's warm sun.
According to an article at the Sharlot Hall website, this bridge differs from the other [steel bridges] in the county, having a different profile (called "riveted Camelback through truss") and was built on the spot in 1924, designed by the El Paso Bridge and Iron Company and contracted by Carnegie Steel. 
Getting the job done, of course, requires all sorts of road fix-it gear...
Sitting beside the road: one of my most-hated objects -- an ugly precast barrier used by the highway folk on modern bridges. Contrast it, if you will, with that lovely, open trusswork below. Which would you rather see? (Not to mention the fact that one can view the river through the truss but not through the precast.) I don't know why these barriers are on the scene, since registered historic sites can't be mucked about with. Thank goodness.
The river crossing as we headed for home displayed the bare cottonwoods at their most beautiful. Thanks, G., for the ride!
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17 comments:
Enjoyed the post.
Another great post Granny J! Thank you for your time & photos.
What a great way to spend a day! Wonderful post and uplifting to see that actual flowing waterL) Thank goodness for the preservation society!
It's a rare treat to see such a naked, tinker toy-like bridge.
If you get down to Perkinsville again, check out the two bridges over Hell Canyon.
Beautiful bridge, Granny J! Hope you and G. can return for photos when it's finished. Its design is more complex than the 1901 bridge in NoCAL where my in-laws live. (Google search on: lewiston, ca bridge).
Yes, please post photos of the other two bridges in the county! ~Anon in AV.
steve -- and I really enjoyed the day!
meggie -- you're welcome
brain -- yes, indeed, thank goodness that those bridges are on the DO NOT TOUCH list -- there was one more, over Kirkland Creek, that went the way of too much historic stuff. However I discovered I have a picture of it in AWW's archives.
boonie -- know the site, haven't been there in years! When we first moved out here in the 80s, you could still drive across the old Hell Canyon bridge. The RR bridge is a real beauty!
anon av --- I'll check in the archives, tho I know I don't have a picture of the Walnut Creek bridge.
Great shots.
Last time I took pictures of construction, it turned out I was the go-to person for the county when they needed documentation of the ongoing work.
Keep it up! Bloggers perform a valuable service.
Another great post. Very familiar with the area as I've been a member of the church down that way, also have many friends there. The concrete barrier you referenced is for construction work only to "delinate" the traffic while construction is going on, not for perminate construction on the bridge.
Ray
Granny J, great pics!
I just happened to go over the Walnut Creek bridge today if you want some pics.
I love the old steel truss bridges! I went to Philadelphia to see a friend a while back, and he thought I was nuts because I kept asking him to pull over so I could take pictures of the bridges! :)
pb -- nice to develop a rep!
Ray -- welome -- I've got a few other pix from that outing that I'll be using in future posts, including the little Walnut Grove church.
tombo -- Hey, I'll take one or two -- I know I've got a pic of the old Yava bridge and possibly of the Hell Canyon bridges. Twould add up to a neat post.How come bridges were on our minds this weekemd???
Everybody -- let me know how many pix you counted with this post. Blogger appears to have dropped 3 when I bring it up, tho I can click on the holes & get the pix! The original post had 9 pictures. Thanks
I did a count and come up with 12.
You say nine, I must be seeing something special.
A dozen in Aussie, too--all of them good, natch.
Hermano
I came across the Walnut Creek bridge after reading your post. I told DaNece "I've got to take pictures and send them to Granny J!".
I count 12 pictures on the post now, but the first time I viewed it not all of them came up.
Thanks for the reality check, guys. Last night, I brought the post up and had only 9 pix showing, although I could make Blogger show them by clicking on the empty picture outline. I was just curious how Blogger was treating other people.
Blogger gets brainspasms with pix. I don't know if you ever got to see the real pic of your bouquet. I can't figure out what happened because it was one of those that others could all see. That's the worst - no feedback for dianosis.
I love bridges and these are wonderful pix. The thing with the barriers, these days? That just makes me want to cry.
The only solution is being in a high-profile vehicle. When I'm in the big truck with Walter it's incredibly absorbing, just looking at everything from way up high.
k -- we never had a high profile vehicle, unfortunately. Butyou really need it if you want to see the streams streaming, which is almost always an Event here in dry AZ.
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