The Pigtail Bridges
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member S5280ft
N 43° 52.166 W 103° 26.112
13T E 625731 N 4858561
There are multiple of these pigtail bridges on the way south on US16-ALT from Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It is certainly one of the most scenic ways away from the monument. Be sure to look back to see Rushmore framed through the one-lane tunnels.
Waymark Code: WMMCF
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 08/16/2006
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member MNSearchers
Views: 155

Marker Name: The Pigtail Bridges

Marker Type: Roadside

Marker Text:
In 1932, Cecil Clyde Gideon forged ahead with the design of the Pigtail Bridges when many felt it could not be done. C.C., as he was called, was a pioneer in the Black Hills, making his mark as a master builder, architect, craftsman, lawman, and highway designer. Riding horseback from his home in Game Lodge, Gideon and Senator Norbeck spent long hours laying out the Iron Mountain Road, the tunnels that frame Mount Rushmore and these bridges. Norbeck wanted a rustic look but the elevation drop presented complex engineering problems. These bridge surfaces are neither straight, level nor flat and rustic log work has great variation in quality. Logs were selected from nearby, cut to fit, seasoned, the put into place With the completion of the bridges more scenic beauty of the Black Hills became available for all people to enjoy. C.C. Gideon turned vision into reality Erected in 1991 by the Gideon Family, the South Dakota State Historical Society and the South Dakota Department of Transportation.


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