Dungeness River Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dungeness River Bridge |
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| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Crosses | Dungeness River |
| Locale | Sequim, Washington |
| Heritage status | NRHP |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Howe through truss |
| Material | Timber |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1930 |
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Dungeness River Bridge
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 Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | Railroad Bridge Park, at end of West Hendrickson Road |
| Nearest city | Sequim, Washington |
| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad |
| Architectural style | timber Howe through truss |
| MPS | Historic Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004201 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1982 |
The Dungeness River Bridge is a special bridge found in Railroad Bridge Park, close to Sequim, Washington. It crosses over the beautiful Dungeness River. This bridge is an important part of the local history and a popular spot for visitors.
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About the Dungeness River Bridge
The Dungeness River Bridge was first built in 1916. It was constructed by a railroad company called the Seattle, Port Angeles, and Western Railway. This company was part of the larger Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road.
Building the Bridge
Because there was a lot of wood available, the first bridge was made entirely of timber. This bridge was later replaced in 1930. The new bridge was also built from timber. It was designed as a "through Howe truss" bridge. This means the main support beams are on the sides, and the traffic goes through the middle.
The bridge is 156 feet long and 22 feet high. On both the east and west sides, there are wooden structures called trestles. These help the bridge connect to the land.
A New Purpose
After the Milwaukee Road railroad company went out of business, the Dungeness River Bridge was left unused. But in 1992, local volunteers decided to help. They worked hard to fix the bridge and add new wooden planks. Their goal was to turn it into a path for bikes and walkers.
In 1995, the land around the bridge was bought by the Washington State Audubon Society. They created the Dungeness River Center and a new area called Railroad Bridge Park. The bike path that goes through the park and over the bridge is now part of the Olympic Discovery Trail. This trail is a "rails-to-trails" project, which means old railroad lines are turned into paths for people to enjoy.
A Historic Landmark
The Dungeness River Bridge is very important because it is one of the last timber Howe through-truss railroad bridges left in Washington state. Because of its historical value, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history.
Rebuilding After the Storm
In February 2015, strong winds and heavy rain caused a big problem. The center part of the Dungeness River Bridge collapsed. But the community worked together to repair it. The bridge was fixed and made even better. It was reopened to the public in March 2016.
