Keokuk Rail Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Keokuk Bridge, also known as the Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge, carries a double deck single track railway and highway bridge across the Mississippi River
in the USA between Keokuk, Iowa
and Hamilton, Illinois
, just downstream of Mississippi Lock and Dam number 19. It was designed by Ralph Modjeski
and constructed 1915–1916 on the piers of its predecessor that was constructed in 1869–1871.
Following the completion of the Keokuk-Hamilton Bridge
, the upper deck of this bridge, on the Keokuk side, was converted to an observation deck to view the nearby lock and dam; this deck is no longer used for road traffic, but is still used for rail traffic. The bridge was originally owned by the Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge company, but following financial problems in the 1940s, the bridge was given to the City of Keokuk in late 1948.
It is documented in the Library of Congress
Historic American Engineering Record as survey number IA-3.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
in the USA between Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
and Hamilton, Illinois
Hamilton, Illinois
Hamilton is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,029 at the 2000 census. The city is located directly across the Mississippi River from Keokuk, Iowa. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County.-About Hamilton:...
, just downstream of Mississippi Lock and Dam number 19. It was designed by Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski was a Polish-born American civil engineer who achieved prominence as a pre-eminent bridge designer in the United States.-Life:...
and constructed 1915–1916 on the piers of its predecessor that was constructed in 1869–1871.
Following the completion of the Keokuk-Hamilton Bridge
Keokuk-Hamilton Bridge
The Keokuk-Hamilton bridge is a steel girder, 4-lane bridge from Keokuk, Iowa to Hamilton, Illinois. It carries U.S. Route 136 across the Mississippi River....
, the upper deck of this bridge, on the Keokuk side, was converted to an observation deck to view the nearby lock and dam; this deck is no longer used for road traffic, but is still used for rail traffic. The bridge was originally owned by the Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge company, but following financial problems in the 1940s, the bridge was given to the City of Keokuk in late 1948.
It is documented in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Historic American Engineering Record as survey number IA-3.
External links
- Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress) - Survey number HAER IA-3
- Keokuk Area Convention and Tourism Bureau - Observation deck
- Construction dates and brief history