I was sorry in a nostalgic sort of way to see this item regarding an August 25th meeting of the Kossuth County (Iowa) Board of Supervisors:"The board also held a public hearing on the possibility of closing the bridge straight north of St. Joseph on 110th Street.
The bridge, constructed in 1885, has served its purpose for well over 100 years.
Miller said replacing the bridge would cost the county over $750,000, and with the department working on a tight budget, they couldn't find the money in the near future.
The board unanimously voted to close the bridge. Signs will be posted within the next two weeks to close the roadway access to the bridge to the public."
Photos are courtesy of EMG (with his assistant Emily Haag), circa 2004 I believe. I like the fall color and composition.
Old bridges evoke old days; this bridge particularly makes me imagine old St. Joe. We drove this route many, many times over the years. It sits right north of St. Joe, and therefore very close to the EJ Gales farm on the hill (per satellite image below).
Hard to imagine the type of traffic the builders were planning for in 1885 - no doubt they tried to think ahead. No doubt they couldn't imagine the monster vehicles lumbering around the area in the 21st century.
In the satellite view below, EMG's house is the first house south of 105th street on the west side of the road (Highway 169, aka S. Phillips Street). 110th street heads east off of Highway 169 just a bit north of St. Joe; you can move the image around (and zoom in) to see where the bridge spans the river. The EJ Gales hill farm is just west of St. Joe on 105th Street.
This bridge was in place five years before (my Grandpa) Mike Bormann was born; or 15 years prior to EJ Gales arriving on the scene.
Now it's done, too.
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