Kate Shelley High Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kate Shelley High Bridge |
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Original bridge (left), new bridge (right)
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| Carries | Freight trains |
| Crosses | Des Moines River |
| Locale | Boone, Iowa, U.S. |
| Maintained by | Union Pacific |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 2,685 ft (818 m) |
| Height | 185 ft (56 m) |
| Piers in water | 8-16 |
| History | |
| Designer | George S. Morison |
| Construction begin | 1899 |
| Construction end | 1901 |
| Closed | 2009 |
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Boone Viaduct
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| Architect | George S. Morison |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001207 |
| Added to NRHP | November 17, 1978 |
The Kate Shelley High Bridge is a very tall and long railroad bridge in Boone, Iowa. It is one of the highest and longest double-track bridges in the United States. When it was finished in 1901, it was officially called the Boone Viaduct.
The bridge got its nickname from a brave Iowa railroad hero named Catherine Carroll Shelley, known as Kate Shelley. On July 6, 1881, when she was 15 years old, Kate risked her life to save others. A train had crashed through the Honey Creek bridge near her home during a big thunderstorm at night.
Kate heard the accident and knew a passenger train was coming soon. She wanted to warn the train crew before they reached the broken bridge. To do this, she had to cross the long Des Moines River Bridge on her hands and knees in the dark storm. She only had her nightdress on and carried a lantern.
She made it to the station and warned everyone, saving the passenger train. Then, she led rescuers back to help the men who had fallen from the Honey Creek Bridge. Two of the four men were saved. Kate's bravery was shared in many newspapers. Her lantern is now kept at the Boone County Historical Society Museum in Boone, Iowa.
The original bridge was designed by George S. Morison for the Chicago and North Western Railway. It was built between 1899 and 1901. This bridge stands 185 feet (56 m) (about 56 meters) above the Des Moines River. It is 2,685 feet (818 m) (about 818 meters) long. Even though it was never officially renamed, people started calling it the Kate Shelley High Bridge to honor her.
History of the Original Bridge
By the mid-1950s, only one train could cross the bridge at a time. In 1986, some parts of the bridge towers were damaged during a wind storm.
Today, the Union Pacific Railroad owns the bridge. Starting in 2001, they inspected and repaired it. This allowed both tracks to be used again, but trains had to go slower, at 25-mile-per-hour (40 km/h) (about 40 km/h). This bridge is an important part of the Union Pacific's main line, called the Overland Route. This route connects Chicago to the west coast of the United States.
The New Bridge
| New Kate Shelley Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Carries | Heavy rail |
| Crosses | Des Moines River |
| Locale | Boone, Iowa |
| Maintained by | Union Pacific |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Concrete and steel |
| Total length | 2,813 ft (857 m) |
| Height | 190 ft (58 m) |
| History | |
| Construction begin | 2006 |
| Construction end | 2009 |
| Opened | 2009 |
From 2006 to 2009, Union Pacific built a brand new bridge right next to the old one. This new bridge is made of concrete and steel and has two tracks. During its construction, the bridge had to be made 160 feet (49 m) (about 49 meters) longer to the east. This was because heavy rains in Spring 2008 made the river bank unstable.
The new bridge opened for trains on August 20, 2009. Union Pacific officially named this new structure the Kate Shelley Bridge. It is 2,813 feet (857 m) (about 857 meters) long and 190 feet (58 m) (about 58 meters) high. This makes it a bit longer and taller than the original bridge. The new bridge can handle two trains at the same time, going up to 70 mph (110 km/h) (about 113 km/h). The original bridge was left in place and still stands next to the new one.
Why So Many Names?
It can be a bit confusing because several bridges have been called the Kate Shelley Bridge.
- The original bridge (finished 1901) was the Boone Viaduct, but became known as the Kate Shelley High Bridge.
- The new bridge (finished 2009) is officially called the Kate Shelley Bridge.
- Even the old wooden bridge at Moingona, which Kate Shelley crossed, was sometimes called the Kate Shelly Bridge.
- The small stone bridge over Honey Creek, where the train crashed, was also sometimes called the Kate Shelley Bridge.
Boone County has many tall Trestle bridges, like the Bass Point High Bridge, which belongs to the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad.
See also
- List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Iowa
