Kinzua Bridge State Park

By -


Kinzua Bridge, or Kinzua Viaduct, was a rail viaduct in northwestern Pennsylvania. Completed in 1882, it was considered to be the highest and longest railroad viaduct in the world at the time of its completion. Partially destroyed by a tornado in 2003, this engineering marvel of a viaduct is now the centerpiece of the Kinzua Bridge State Park.

 I have some before and after photos of the viaduct to share. The first group of photos was taken by Bill Symons in August 1985, presenting a view of what the lay of the land was once like...










Now for the photos after the destruction called by the tornado, with a foreword by John Krakoff (who took the "after" photos in August 2004):
On July 21, 2003 an intense line of thunderstorms blew out of Ohio and when it moved in to PA, it became a "bow echo" and kept intensifying, until finally wrapping around and forming an "eye" on the radar screen. Meanwhile, the forward line spawned multiple tornadoes, one of which was in the Mt. Jewett/Kinzua Bridge area. My first reaction to the area as a whole was bewilderment. As you approached the bridge and gorge, the tornado's path was still evident. You could see the twister's path on the north side of US 6 in Mount Jewett. Then turning on to the access road to the bridge and park itself, several felled trees littered the sides of the road. Then, as you come around to the cul-de-sac, it was unreal. Trees stripped of branches and leaves, not to mention the damage to the bridge itself. It was truly heartbreaking especially since they were in the refurbishing process. Also, the tornado's path cuts a swath from southwest to northeast. A bit of sadness is the schedule of train rides was still up - according to PA legislators, not to happen again. It's an appreciation of the dangers of which Mother Nature is capable. 














  
Flash forward to May 2017, and I saw more changes with the site at the Kinzua Bridge State Park, which allow visitors to view and appreciate the industrial prowess that caused the Kinzua Viaduct to be constructed as well as the destruction caused by the tornado that led to the viaduct's demise. Part of the former viaduct is now the Kinzua Sky Walk, where the remaining 600 feet of towers on the bridge have been converted to a pedestrian walkway that features a glass bottom to see below to the ground (plus a wooden walkway for those who feel uneasy about walking on thick glass panels). There is an observation deck where you see the valley around you and the destruction underneath you. The sky walk was opened in 2011. There is also a visitor's center at the park that allows you to learn about the history of the Kinzua Viaduct and hiking trails that allow you explore around the park and take a closer look at the destruction caused at Kinzua Bridge State Park by the 2003 tornado.


Sources and Links:
Bill Symons
John Krakoff
Pennsylvania DCNR - Kinzua Bridge State Park
Allegheny National Forest Visitor's Bureau - Kinzua Bridge Sky Walk 

How to Get There:
Crossposted from my blog post at http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/01/kinzua-bridge-before-and-after.html
Location: Kinzua Bridge State Park, 296 Viaduct Road, Mt Jewett, PA 16740, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Somerfield and the Great Crossings Bridge

By -
Image
West of Addison, US 40 crosses the Youghiogheny River at what once was the town of Somerfield.  When crossing the current modern two lane bridge, you many not realize that it is actually the third to cross the Yough at this site.  The first - a stone arch bridge - was known as the Great Crossings Bridge.  Built in 1818, this three arch bridge was part of the original National Road.  The name Great Crossings comes from the men who forded the Youghiogheny here - George Washington and George Braddock. (1)  If you cross the bridge at the right time, this historic bridge and what was once the town of Somerfield will appear out from underneath this massive man-made lake. Historical Postcard showing the 'Big Crossings' bridge and Somerfield.  Image submitted by Vince Ferrari. The Great Crossings Bridge was located in the town of Somerfield.  Somerfield, originally named Smythfield until 1827, would develop as a result of the National Road. (1...
Read more

Inwood Iron Bridge - Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

By -
Image
  While the number of historic iron truss and metal truss bridges has been dwindling over the years due to several factors, occasionally a bridge will be preserved for its historical value. Such is the case of the Inwood Iron Bridge, which was built in 1899 and located near Lickdale, Pennsylvania. The Inwood Iron Bridge was fabricated by the Pittsburgh Bridge Company and erected by Nelson and Buchanan of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. It is historically significant as one of the oldest surviving Pennsylvania thru truss highway bridges in Pennsylvania. Early examples of Pennsylvania (Petit) thru-truss highway bridges from before the 20th Century were not common as the design was more often used for railroad bridges. Only a handful of such roadway bridges have been identified around Pennsylvania, making the Inwood Iron Bridge more historically significant. The 151-foot-long Inwood Iron Bridge crossed Swatara Creek and was located not far from Swatara State Park in Lebanon County, Pennsy...
Read more

John Eisenhower Bridge

By -
Image
When you explore the back roads around Gettysburg, you'll most likely find some great things.  Just behind the Eisenhower Farm on Red Rock Road - and not that long of a stroll from Sachs Covered Bridge - is an 1886 iron truss bridge named after Dwight Eisenhower's son, John.  John Eisenhower was an officer in the United States Army, served as the US Ambassador to Belgium, and was a military historian. The John Eisenhower Bridge crosses Willoughby Run, and its use is limited to bicycles and pedestrians.  The 84-foot-long bridge was designed and constructed by Gibert & Smith.  It is a Pratt-through truss design.  Flood waters severely damaged the bridge in 1996.  Two years later, the bridge was completely restored.  In 2012, Adams County completed a project  fully refurbishing the bridge deck. Willoughby Run Like the nearby Sachs Covered Bridge, the Eisenhower Bridge is considered haunted.  It is known locally as the " Suicide Bridge ;" gho...
Read more