King Road – Whitefish River Bridge
Encyclopedia
The King Road – Whitefish River Bridge is a bridge located on King Road (Old US Highway 41
, US 41) over the Whitefish River in Limestone Township
, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1999.
. One of these roads ran from Trenary to Skandia. By the end of the decade, this road was nearly complete; the last link was the construction of a bridge over the Whitefish River
. In 1919, the Michigan State Highway Department engineers designed what was designated as Trunk Line Bridge Number 264, based on a standard design that the agency had developed in 1913–14.
The agency awarded the contract to construct the bridge to Samuel Mills of Escanaba. Mills built the bridge in 1919 for $1,688.25. The trunk line, including this bridge, was later incorporated into US 41. Later still, the highway was re-aligned, and a new bridge was built over the Whitefish River approximately one-half mile south of this bridge. The 1.5 miles (2.4 km) section of road that included the old bridge was redesignated King Road, and still carries local traffic.
The King Road – Whitefish River Bridge is notable due in part to its relatively early construction date as a girder-style bridge and its two-span configuration.
U.S. Route 41 in Michigan
US Highway 41 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state via the Interstate Bridge between Marinette, Wisconsin, and Menominee,...
, US 41) over the Whitefish River in Limestone Township
Limestone Township, Michigan
Limestone Township is a civil township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 407 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1999.
History
In the 1910s, a system of three trunk line roads was constructed in Alger CountyAlger County, Michigan
Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...
. One of these roads ran from Trenary to Skandia. By the end of the decade, this road was nearly complete; the last link was the construction of a bridge over the Whitefish River
Whitefish River (Michigan)
The Whitefish River is a river in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The mouth of the river is in Delta County at on the Little Bay De Noc of Lake Michigan. The main branch of the river is formed by the confluence of the east and west branches at .The east branch rises out of Trout...
. In 1919, the Michigan State Highway Department engineers designed what was designated as Trunk Line Bridge Number 264, based on a standard design that the agency had developed in 1913–14.
The agency awarded the contract to construct the bridge to Samuel Mills of Escanaba. Mills built the bridge in 1919 for $1,688.25. The trunk line, including this bridge, was later incorporated into US 41. Later still, the highway was re-aligned, and a new bridge was built over the Whitefish River approximately one-half mile south of this bridge. The 1.5 miles (2.4 km) section of road that included the old bridge was redesignated King Road, and still carries local traffic.
Description
The King Road – Whitefish River Bridge is a girder bridge built on two skewed 35 feet (10.7 m) through girders, supported by concrete abutments and a center pier. The deck is a concrete slab, with the girders rising above to form the guardrails on either side. A bronze plate designating the bridge as a "Trunk Line Bridge" is mounted on the girders’ inside walls. The structure is findamentally unaltered, but has undergone a considerable amount of concrete spalling and chipping.The King Road – Whitefish River Bridge is notable due in part to its relatively early construction date as a girder-style bridge and its two-span configuration.