Year constructed: c1900
Bridge type: Pony Truss
National Register of Historic Places Status:
Eligible
Length: 29 feet
Width: 16 feet
Spans: 1
FHWA: 237510
Jurisdiction: Mahaska County
Location: Galeton Avenue over unnamed tributary of the South Skunk, 6.9 miles northwest of Oskaloosa, Section 19 & 20, T76N-R16W (Madison Township)
Details
In January 1894 the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors awarded a contract to Thomas Seevers to build all of the county's iron bridges for that year. This marked the first time that county thus contracted with the Oskaloosa, Iowa, contractor and manufacturer. A pipe manufacturer primarily, Seevers supplied his distinctively designed pipe trusses to the county in subsequent years until about 1905. The bridges that he fabricated featured wrought iron or steel pipe upper chords and end posts, with eye bar lower chords and diagonals. The pipes were attached using cast iron bearing shoes and hip blocks; the other members were joined using more conventional pinned connections. Built circa 1900, this bridge is a typically configured, well-preserved example of Seevers' technology. The pipe truss configuration of this bridge-different from virtually every other bridge type made in Iowa-was a standard one for Seevers. Founded around 1880 by Tomas Seevers, the Oskaloosa-based firm manufactured steam and hot water heaters, pipe fittings, architectural iron works and tubular bridges. Although they were durable, economic and structurally sound, Seevers' bridges never found widespread acceptance in the state, and Seevers was never a major player outside of southeastern Iowa. He died circa 1910, and the firm was continued by his family until circa 1923. The tubular trusses that Seevers fabricated have diminished in number through subsequent attrition. This bridge is thus technologically significant as a well-preserved example of an esoteric structural type, designed and fabricated by a small-scale Iowa company [adapted from Fraser 1992].