Chamberlain Bridge (Chamberlain, South Dakota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chamberlain Bridge
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 Location in South Dakota
Location in the United States
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| Location |  I-90 Bus. over the Missouri River, Chamberlain, South Dakota |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1925 |
| Built by | State Highway Commission |
| Architectural style | Pennsylvania through truss |
| MPS | Historic Bridges in South Dakota MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000999 |
| Added to NRHP | September 14, 2001 |
The Chamberlain Bridge is a really old and important bridge in South Dakota. It connects the towns of Chamberlain and Oacoma. This bridge crosses the Missouri River and a big lake called Lake Francis Case. When it was first finished in 1925, it helped people travel on U.S. Route 16.
Later, in 1953, a new dam created Lake Francis Case. This made the original bridge too short! So, another bridge, the Wheeler Bridge, was floated 70 miles up the river. Parts of both bridges were then put together to make a much longer bridge across the new lake.
Today, the Chamberlain Bridge is part of Interstate 90 Business. There are also other bridges nearby, like the main I-90 bridge and a railroad bridge. Because of its history, the Chamberlain Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This means it's a special landmark that needs to be protected.
Building the First Chamberlain Bridge
In 1923, South Dakota didn't have much money for bridges. The state's bridge fund had only $4! But many towns, like Chamberlain and Pierre, really wanted bridges to cross the Missouri River.
The state bridge engineer, John Edward Kirkham, made a big promise. He said he could build five bridges for just $2 million. This was amazing because one bridge in North Dakota had recently cost $1.3 million by itself. Kirkham kept his promise, building all five bridges for a total of $2.1 million.
The first Chamberlain Bridge was made of four large sections. These sections were called "Pennsylvania through truss" spans. They were built by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Works company. The bridge was finished in September 1925 and cost about $303,623.
Another important bridge was the Wheeler Bridge, also known as the Rosebud Bridge. It was made of six smaller sections. This bridge was special because its parts could be taken apart. Engineer Kirkham thought it might be replaced later with a bridge for both cars and trains. The Wheeler Bridge was also finished in September 1925.
Joining Bridges: The 1953 Project
In 1953, something big happened. The new Fort Randall Dam was built, and it created a huge lake called Lake Francis Case. As the water level rose, the original Chamberlain Bridge became too short to cross the new, wider lake.
To solve this, parts of the Wheeler Bridge were floated 70 miles north. These sections were then used to make the new, longer Chamberlain Bridge. The new bridge was built a little south of the old one.
The new design used two parallel bridge sections where there used to be just one. The four original sections of the Chamberlain Bridge became the eastern part of the new, wider bridge. The six smaller sections from the Wheeler Bridge formed the western part.
This huge project cost $4.5 million. The new Chamberlain Bridge was officially opened on December 7, 1953. It was a clever way to reuse existing bridges to cross the new lake!
Images for kids
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Chamberlain Bridge in the distance, taken from a rest stop on I-90
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I-90 bridge, south of the Chamberlain Bridge
43°48′06″N 99°21′12″W / 43.80167°N 99.35333°W -
Railroad bridge, south of the I-90 bridge
43°47′56″N 99°21′33″W / 43.79889°N 99.35917°W
