Title
1882 King Bowstring Bridge
Subject
Bridges
Description
A photo of the 1882 King Bowstring Bridge reassembled and located in the Van de Graaff Park, 3231 Robert Cardinal Road, Northport.
The original bridge which connected Northport and Tuscaloosa over the Black Warrior River was built starting in December 1881 opening on Christmas Day, 1882. It was built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio and was in use until 1896. At the time it was one of four steel and iron spans over the Black Warrior River in the Tuscaloosa area. The U.S. government required a new bridge - a draw-span bridge - be built to accomodate river traffic. Th 1882 bridge was dismantled and each span was relocated to various locations in Tuscaloosa County for use as single-span bridges.
In 2008, the Friends of Historic Northport began the process of removing the only surviving span, securing necessary funds for this project, and seeking a location in Northport for it to be reconstructed as a historic structure.
In 2010, a group of Van de Graaff family descendents, who owned the property which was once part of the Jemison plantation on Robert Cardinal Road, gave the property to the Friends of Historic Northport to be used as a park and site of the reconstructed bridge. In 2014, the Friends leased the land for $1 per year for 99 years to the Tuscaloosa Parks and Recreation Authority with the stipulation that PARA be responsible for developing and maintaining the park.
Members of the Ironworkers local 92 under the direction of McAbee Construction reassembled the bridge according to the original factory specifications in the Park. The Park and the 1882 bridge were open to the public in September 2010.
The original bridge which connected Northport and Tuscaloosa over the Black Warrior River was built starting in December 1881 opening on Christmas Day, 1882. It was built by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio and was in use until 1896. At the time it was one of four steel and iron spans over the Black Warrior River in the Tuscaloosa area. The U.S. government required a new bridge - a draw-span bridge - be built to accomodate river traffic. Th 1882 bridge was dismantled and each span was relocated to various locations in Tuscaloosa County for use as single-span bridges.
In 2008, the Friends of Historic Northport began the process of removing the only surviving span, securing necessary funds for this project, and seeking a location in Northport for it to be reconstructed as a historic structure.
In 2010, a group of Van de Graaff family descendents, who owned the property which was once part of the Jemison plantation on Robert Cardinal Road, gave the property to the Friends of Historic Northport to be used as a park and site of the reconstructed bridge. In 2014, the Friends leased the land for $1 per year for 99 years to the Tuscaloosa Parks and Recreation Authority with the stipulation that PARA be responsible for developing and maintaining the park.
Members of the Ironworkers local 92 under the direction of McAbee Construction reassembled the bridge according to the original factory specifications in the Park. The Park and the 1882 bridge were open to the public in September 2010.
Creator
Betty Slowe
Source
Betty Slowe
Contributor
Elizabeth Bradt (Description)
Type
Photograph
Identifier
2335
Coverage
Northport (AL)
Original Format
Photograph