Historic Bridges of the U.S. | Keokuk Rail Bridge

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Photos

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Keokuk Rail Bridge

Keokuk Rail Bridge before it became rail traffic only at time carries US 136

Photo taken by Parents of David B. Haun

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Keokuk Rail Bridge Swing Span

Keokuk Rail Bridge swing span open for river traffic

Photo taken by parents of David B. Haun

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Keokuk Rail Bridge Swing Span Open another view

Another view Keokuk Rail Bridge swing span open for river traffic

Photo taken by Parents of David B. Haun

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General View From Upstream On The Iowa Shore, Looking S. Photographer: Sarah J. Dennett

Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record

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General View From Downstream On The Illinois Shore, Looking Nne. Photographer: Sarah J. Dennett

Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record

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The Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge

Written by Martha Bowers and Hans Muessig, for HAER in 1982

The Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge is one of three remaining in Iowa that were designed by Ralph Modjeski, one of this country's premier early 20th century bridge engineers. The eleven-span, double-deck steel superstructure was built in 1915-1916 on piers retained from an earlier (1869-1871) structure, to meet greater loading requirements from railroads that operated across the Mississippi at this point.

The Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge Company was incorporated in 1868 to further railroad and commercial development in Keokuk and in Hancock County, Illinois. The firm's president until 1914 was Andrew Carnegie, who had interest in the railroad participating in the venture. The first Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge was built by Carnegie's Keystone Bridge Co. from designs by Thomas Curtis Clarke, later a founder of Clarke, Reeves & Co. (which is best known under its subsequent name, Phoenix Bridge Co.). This structure stood until 1915, when pressure from Keokuk businessmen and the threatened erection of a competing bridge forced the Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge Co. to reconstruct its span.

The replacement structure remained in corporate ownership until January 1949, when it was turned over to the city of Keokuk. Although the city intended that there should be no tolls for vehicular traffic, the span remained "free" for only three years. Tolls were reimposed in 1952, in order to finance maintenance and also major repairs to the piers, which were rejacketed with reinforced concrete in 1951-1952.

Facts

Overview: Through truss bridge over Mississippi River on Railroad
Status: Open to traffic
History: Replaced for highway traffic 1985 still carries railroad
Design: Through truss
Also called: Keokuk Hamilton Bridge before 1985
Approximate latitude, longitude: +40.39722, -91.38611 (decimal degrees)
40°23'50" N, 91°23'10" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates: 15/636962/4473096 (zone/easting/northing)
USGS topographic map: Keokuk
Inventory number: BH 36498 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Comments

Keokuk Rail Bridge

Posted May 8, 2008, by Christopher Overly (chrisoverly [at] gmail [dot] com)

The vehicle portion of it is quite interesting, you could see through it, I do not know why they don't do this type of bridge more often, as if the road is not very well traveled it would be very efficient.