Coordinates are taken at the middle of the bridge over the Ohio River.
Blasterz love this bridge with its mix of six elegant truss spans, but its history may be even cooler: bought on the courthouse steps for $10K by a rails-to-trails group, the bridge is the centerpiece of gorgeous public parks on both sides of the Ohio River.
From Bridgehunter.com: (
visit link)
"Description
Built by the Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge Company starting in 1888 and finishing in 1895. Thirty seven workers died during construction including 21 who fell from a collapsed falsework and died in the river on December 15, 1893. The bridge was finished in September 1895 at the cost of $2.5 million, the accidents had driven the Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge Company into bankruptcy and Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway (Big Four) bought the bridge.
C & O Railroad owned 1/3 interest in the bridge and B & O Railroad, a road closely aligned with C & O owned the road approaching the bridge from the north. The bridge was used by interurban cars starting September 12, 1905.
Two interurban cars collided in January 1918 with the loss of three lives, this being the only serious accident on the bridge. Big Four bought out C & O's interest in the bridge in 1927.
It was rebuilt in 1929 by Louisville & Jefferson Bridge Company at a cost of $3.5 million. On Feb. 1, 1930 New York Central took over operation of the Big Four. Strangely B & O never used the bridge and took it's traffic over the Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railway Bridge three miles further downstream.
When NY Central and Pennsylvania Railroads merged the Penn Central routed traffic away from the bridge. It was last used in 1969 and the approach spans were scrapped in 1974.
A railroad enthusiast, Charles Hammond bought the bridge in 1982, and wanted to develop the bridge with condos and retail stores. Tax trouble brought the plan to an end and the bridge was bought at a sheriffs action by a charity, "Bridge the Gap" in 1987 for $10,000. They decorated the bridge each year for a Christmas toy drive promotion.
Facts
Overview
Rail-Trail six-span through truss railroad bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville
Location
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, and Clark County, Indiana
Status
Open to pedestrians only
History
Built 1929 using preexisting stone piers. Interurban traffic ends 1939; Approaches scrapped 1974.
Builders
- Louisville & Jefferson Bridge Co. (Financier)
- McClintic-Marshall Co. of Chicago, Illinois & Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Railroads
- Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway (CCC&StL; Big Four)
- Interurban
- Louisville & Northern Railway & Lighting Co. (L&NR&L)
- Louisville & Southern Indiana Traction Co. (L&SI)
- New York Central Railroad (NYC)
- Penn Central Railroad (PC)
Design
From north to south:
One riveted, 8-panel Parker through truss
Three riveted, 16-panel Pennsylvania through trusses, each 547 ft. long
Two riveted, 10-panel Parker through trusses
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 547.0 ft.
Total length: 2,525.0 ft. (0.5 mi.)
Also called
Big Four Bridge
Big Four Railroad Bridge
Big Four Bridge cross-river skywalk
Bridge to No Where
Inventory number
BH 18821 (Bridgehunter.com ID)"