George C. Platt Bridge
Encyclopedia
The George C. Platt Memorial Bridge is a through truss bridge that carries PA 291 (Penrose Avenue) over the Schuylkill River
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. It was opened to traffic in 1951, replacing a swing bridge
to the south which carried Penrose Ferry Road across the river. Originally called the Penrose Avenue Bridge, it was renamed in the late 1970s to honor Civil War
hero George Crawford Platt
(1842–1912).
The bridge passes over an oil refinery
(originally owned by Gulf Oil, now by Sun Oil). It has been imperiled a few times by fires at the refinery. On August 17, 1975, fire broke out in a tank to the northeast of the bridge that was being filled with Venezuela
n crude oil. As the fire enveloped much of the refinery, several explosions put a large crack in a smokestack next to the bridge. Officials closed the bridge for several hours, fearing that the stack might collapse or the fire might damage the bridge.
In 1986, two bronze bas-reliefs of Platt's visage were mounted on poles at each end of the bridge. The works were commissioned by Platt's great-great-grandson, Lawrence Griffin Platt, who raised $10,000 with the help of a former Gulf Oil executive, and were sculpted by Philadelphia artist Reginald E. Beauchamp
. Both were later stolen, the first in 1987, and the second some time later. A $500 reward offered by the Philadelphia Daily News
in 2002 was unsuccessful in securing their return.
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It was opened to traffic in 1951, replacing a swing bridge
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
to the south which carried Penrose Ferry Road across the river. Originally called the Penrose Avenue Bridge, it was renamed in the late 1970s to honor Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
hero George Crawford Platt
George Crawford Platt
George Crawford Platt was a Medal of Honor recipient in the American Civil War.He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Private in Troop H, 6th US Cavalry for action on July 3, 1863 at Fairfield, Pennsylvania, near Gettysburg...
(1842–1912).
The bridge passes over an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
(originally owned by Gulf Oil, now by Sun Oil). It has been imperiled a few times by fires at the refinery. On August 17, 1975, fire broke out in a tank to the northeast of the bridge that was being filled with Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n crude oil. As the fire enveloped much of the refinery, several explosions put a large crack in a smokestack next to the bridge. Officials closed the bridge for several hours, fearing that the stack might collapse or the fire might damage the bridge.
In 1986, two bronze bas-reliefs of Platt's visage were mounted on poles at each end of the bridge. The works were commissioned by Platt's great-great-grandson, Lawrence Griffin Platt, who raised $10,000 with the help of a former Gulf Oil executive, and were sculpted by Philadelphia artist Reginald E. Beauchamp
Reginald E. Beauchamp
Reginald E. Beauchamp was an American sculptor whose works include Penny Franklin , Whispering Bells of Freedom , and a bust of Connie Mack that sits in the Baseball Hall of Fame....
. Both were later stolen, the first in 1987, and the second some time later. A $500 reward offered by the Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
in 2002 was unsuccessful in securing their return.