Keeping it Simple (KISBYTO): National Historic Bridges Awareness Month

Sunday, November 25, 2012

National Historic Bridges Awareness Month

(Google Images)

By Terry Orr

Bridges and the design and construction thereof have always interested me from you earliest memories. I can remember some of those old, one lane, wooden, rickety bridges that I said two prayers – one before crossing and one afterwards. I can remember a couple bridges so high – to down would my breath away. Remember the one in the Seattle area that swayed with the wind. In the country side throughout America – crossing those many bridges of all sorts of construction and conditions – covered, uncovered, without guard rails – some with railroad tracks down the middle (nightmare or two about those) and those that have tunnels connected to them. Ever been stuck in a traffic jam inside a tunnel? If so, you are aware of the mind games that one can play. And the last one I remember – was while crossing the country in the winter between Cheyenne and Larimer WY in a blizzard – looking ahead saw this bridge with black ice – driving probably way too fast - too the foot of the gas and coasted across and thanking the man above.

(Google Images)

London Bridge is broken down,

Falling down, falling down.

London Bridge is falling down,

My fair lady.

Build it up with wood and clay,

Wood and clay, wood and clay,

Build it up with wood and clay,

My fair lady.

Wood and clay will wash away,

Wash away, wash away,

Wood and clay will wash away,

My fair lady.

Build it up with bricks and mortar,

Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar,

Build it up with bricks and mortar,

My fair lady.

Bricks and mortar will not stay,

Will not stay, will not stay,

Bricks and mortar will not stay,

My fair lady.

Build it up with iron and steel,

Iron and steel, iron and steel,

Build it up with iron and steel,

My fair lady.

Iron and steel will bend and bow,

Bend and bow, bend and bow,

Iron and steel will bend and bow,

My fair lady.

Build it up with silver and gold,

Silver and gold, silver and gold,

Build it up with silver and gold,

My fair lady.

Silver and gold will be stolen away,

Stolen away, stolen away,

Silver and gold will be stolen away,

My fair lady.

Set a man to watch all night,

Watch all night, watch all night,

Set a man to watch all night,

My fair lady.

Suppose the man should fall asleep,

Fall asleep, fall asleep,

Suppose the man should fall asleep?

My fair lady.

Give him a pipe to smoke all night,

Smoke all night, smoke all night,

Give him a pipe to smoke all night,

My fair lady.

(Google Images)

This is one of the oldest surviving structures across the Potomac at Washington. The present bridge was built in 1901. A series of steel plate girders and a central truss structure mark the bridge. It carries railroad traffic between Virginia and Washington and is part of the northeast corridor for Amtrak passenger service.

Huey p. Long Bridge
(Google Images)

This bridge crosses the Mississippi River from the East bank of Jefferson Parish to the West Bank in Bridge City.

White's Bridge
(Google Images)

White's bridge is the eastern-most of three Brown-truss covered bridges near the M-21 highway between Grand Rapids and Ionia.

It is the oldest covered bridge still in use in Michigan. Built in 1869. Whites Bridge crosses the Flat River in Keene Township, Ionia County. The floor is 14 feet wide and 116.5 feet long. All of the truss members and dimension lumber are hand hewn and secured with wooden pegs. The sheeting and roof boards are fastened to the rafters with hand cut nails. The sheeting and roof boards are fastened to the rafters with hand cut nails. The abutments are made of local fieldstone. It is among the area's best-known 19th century structures.

(Google Images)

China has unveiled the world’s longest sea bridge, which stretches a massive 26.4 miles – five miles further than the distance between Dover and Calais and longer than a marathon.