Upstate NY

Upstate New York was one of the most important markets for King bridges of all types, from little bowstrings to railroad viaducts and swing bridges. It is now the location of a number of successful preservation efforts, along with some projects that may or may not work.

This imposing 975 foot steel trestle was built for the Wallkill Valley Railroad to replace an earlier structure and is featured in the King Bridge Company’s 1898 catalogue. When the railroad was abandoned, its property was acquired by abutting landowners, the viaduct by a railroad enthusiast who has converted it into a hiking trail with spectacular views over Rondout Creek toward the Hudson River. (See HISTORY – Railroad Special)

The only railroad bridge appearing in the company catalogues that we can confirm is still standing is the Rosendale Viaduct, pictured above. When Conrail abandoned the old Wallkill Valley Railroad right-of-way, the abutting property owner was able to acquire the viaduct. It has been converted for pedestrian use as part of a rail trail and is used to provide spectacular views of Esopus Creek and the lovely village of Rosendale, in Ulster County.

In early June, we had the opportunity to visit with Tom Callahan in Lockport and see first hand the exciting program he and the city have to restore the waterworks and old mills located on the banks of the old Erie Canal near the famous five locks, including the three spans of the “Up-side-down railroad bridge” built by the King Bridge Company in 1902 and still used by excursion trains and the occasional freight. When completed, this project should provide one of the most important places in the country to view the history of industrial development, including canal and rail transportation, water and electrical power development, and old manufacturing technology.

The railroad bridge looking east Erie Canal locks (left) and the new Barge Canal locks (right)

Tom Callahan, the owner of the Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride, is an engineer and historian who has taken on the job of restoring this important site. He has acquired many of the former mill properties adjacent to the waterway and is seeking the funding to complete this ambitious project. The restoration of the pedestrian walkway along side the bridge will be an important part of the effort. Tom can be contacted at hydraulicrace@worldnet.att.net. Be sure to stop by and see this most interesting area when you are in western New York.

This is the last known railroad swing built by the King Bridge Company and was in use by CSX until the mid 1990s. Now it faces removal under the orders of the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard. There is a valiant band of citizens try to stave off the demise of the bridge, which could easily be incorporated into the future development of Rochester’s Genesee River and Lake Ontario waterfront. See HISTORY – Railroad Special and PRESERVATION, ALSO NEW 7/19/04 and HOJACK SPECIAL website www.thebridgeproject.com)

Thanks to Ed Finucane for these wonderful and very recent (June 2004) pictures of the Hojack Bridge and it's sharing the waterways with the "Fast Ferry". Click on these thumbnail images below for bigger pictures.

Please check Richard Margolis' "The Bridge Project" Website (www.TheBridgeProject.com) for recent news and updates about this important preservation effort

This is a small but unique lift bridge crossing a Hudson River inlet, which may have escaped the notice of bridge historians. It now serves as a bicycle and pedestrian crossing near the center of this picturesque town. (See HISTORY –Moveable Bridges and 2006 finds & findings)

This well preserved three span,300 foot bridge was moved from its original location in Ogdensburg to a more remote location over Black Lake. Zenas King grew up and went to school in DePeyster. The bridge is almost within sight of the cemetery where some of the King family are buried. It still carries light traffic and is not on the schedule for removal, but it should be the radar screen of the historic preservationists.

This bridge is a three span, 300 foot long tubular wrought iron bowstring built originally in 1874 using the Zenas King patent. It is still in use on the lightly traveled county road connecting the towns of Oswegatchie and Depeyster across the northern section of Black Lake. This bridge is probably one of the last examples of a three span bowstring which was built extensively by the King Bridge Company (then called the King Iron Bridge Manufacturing Company) in the 1870s in cities and towns all across the country. A number of these appear in the Company’s catalogue of 1876 in such places as Columbus, Ohio, Rockton, Illinois, Cumberland, Maryland, Topeka, Kansas, Waltham, Massachusetts, and Westfield, New York . A sister three span bowstring built one year later at Fort Laramie, Wyoming is the only other example of this type still standing. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and maintained by the National Park Service.

This bridge started its 125 year old career as part of a five span bridge crossing the Oswegatchie River in Ogdensburg connecting Fayette and Spring Streets. The three existing spans were moved to the present location in 1914 to replace an older wooden structure known as the Spile bridge. The bridge is owned jointly by the towns of Oswegatchie and Depeyster. Today it still carries vehicular traffic limited to three tons on a modern steel grill roadway and is maintained by the County. Until a few years ago, each of the three spans had builders plates describing the patents under which the bridge was built, but these have disappeared.

In 2002, the Monroe County Highway Department repaired this bowstring to serve pedestrians visiting the charming Chili Mills historical complex run by the Wilcox family. It is one of the oldest iron bridges in Western New York.

Local citizens with help from Historic Ithaca took responsibility for fixing up this little bowstring in 2004 which for years has served as a major route for school children to cross the west branch of the Cayuga Inlet. It still has one of the oldest King Bridge Company builder’s plates. (See NEW entry 8/3/03 and http://www.newfieldbusinessassoc.homestead.com/KingBridge.html )

This long neglected bowstring will be rehabilitated to serve as the entrance to a new park to be built on islands in the Grasse River. The State of New York has given the Grasse River Heritage Area Development Corporation a grant of $195,755 to develop to park, including the bridge rehabilitation in the first phase. (See Preservation Section - Grasse River & Grass River Update Press Release)

This is probably one of two truss bridges built by the King Bridge Company in Arcadia and is located near the Aldrich Change Bridge, which was rehabilitated by a group of energetic local citizens. Hopefully this group will be able to turn its attention to restoring this decaying bridge in the near future.

These trusses were once part of a bridge across Black Creek in Byron, New York and were purchased by the Sloan family in 1999 from a doctor who had acquired them instead of accepting a fee. They now serve as the entrance to a nature trail on land on Overlook Mountain donated to the Woodstock Land Conservancy by the family. (See Woodstock Bridge Dedication)