Thursday Postcard Hunt - Iron and Rail Bridges
Iron and/or Rail Bridges
Jay Street Bridge between Lock Haven and Lockport, PA taken from the boat dock on the Susquehanna River.
Originally a covered wooden bridge, after it burnt in 1919 it was replaced by an iron bridge, depicted on this postcard from the 1960s. In 1986 a new steel bridge was constructed.
A railway bridge over the Canadian River near Tucumcari, New Mexico. If you're interested in the rail history of Tucumcari, here's a pdf from their railway museum. 1940s postcard
https://multistorymedia.com/stories/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/TucumcariTheRailroadTown2.pdf
The railway was built as a scenic tourist railroad. It was the only scenic mountain electric traction railroad built in the U.S. At the top of Mt. Lowe (originally Oak Mountain, later renamed after Professor Thaddeus S.C. Lowe, the railway owner, and said to be the first person to set foot, and set a flag into, the peak) was a Victorian hotel, and nearby a chalet, dance hall, casino, observatory, and much more. The railway opened in 1893, but was not a financial success, so Lowe sold it seven years later. It suffered a series of natural disasters, and finally was abandoned in 1938 after property was washed off the mountainside in a flood.
Those are for next week.
All these are impressive constructions!
ReplyDeleteThey are. I though, don't like driving on bridges! Long ones, high ones.
DeleteThe Elster Viaduct is spectacular! 12 million bricks!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe brick factory must have been thrilled!
DeleteSuch interesting bridges with lots of history! The Jay Street Bridge would havw been one very long covered bridge! (I'm used to short ones) The Circular one looks terrifying. The Tucumcari looks so sleek. Ancient European history can be so befuddling. But, I think 'Switzerland' is used as a landscape name for an area that is particularly scenic. A marketing thing?
ReplyDeleteYes, the covered bridges here aren't long either. I would think the snow would be too much for the roofs of long ones.
DeleteLove a railway museum, fascinating photos on the link, they must have a treasure trove of them. I am also trying to get my head around how many bricklayers would have been employed to construct the Elster viaduct, no wonder it took 5 years.
ReplyDeleteYes, I liked the photo of the school children going on a field trip on The Pollly!
DeletePennsylvania has some interesting bridges, including a stone railway bridge called the Starrucca Viaduct in tiny Lanesboro, PA (blink at the wrong moment and you'll miss the turnoff. I've been to the viewing area several times). It was built in 1848 and is still in use. Of course, I know you need a postcard from your collection. I am going to see how far Lockport, PA is from me to perhaps see the modern version. I don't speak German but I found a stock photo at this site: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-elsterberg-und-vogtl-schweiz-1895-gelaufen-1897-139795016.html Not sure it would be any help.
ReplyDeleteThanks. That's a nice postcard in the image. I keep searching and did figure out why it says "Switzerland" on my postcard. I edited the post. There are quite a few covered bridges that are easy to miss in Oregon. You're going along I-5 at 65 mph and there goes the off-ramp! Miles before you can get off and turn around.
DeleteOh wow. Those are some great bridges.
ReplyDelete