Nichols Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Donald F. Nichols Covered Bridge |
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|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°25′04″N 86°15′01″W / 42.41778°N 86.25028°W |
| Carries | Covered Bridge Road |
| Crosses | Black River |
| Locale | South Haven, Michigan |
| Official name | Donald F. Nichols Covered Bridge |
| Maintained by | Van Buren Parks Department |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | Foot and bike |
The Donald F. Nichols Covered Bridge is a special bridge on the Kal-Haven Trail in Michigan. It's a covered footbridge that is 108 feet long. You can find it near the western end of the trail in South Haven, Michigan.
The Kal-Haven Trail used to be a railroad line. It has seven bridges that were once part of the old railroad. These bridges were first built around 1870. The Donald F. Nichols bridge was originally a railroad trestle bridge. It was later changed into a covered bridge for people to walk and bike on.
The First Bridge: A Railroad Story
The first bridge in this spot was built by the Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad. This company faced money problems and almost failed. Luckily, the Michigan Central Railroad stepped in. They leased the route and bought bonds, which saved the railroad line.
Local business leaders really wanted the railroad to come to their towns. They believed it would help them reach South Haven's harbor. This would give them a way to connect to the Great Lakes.
A famous person named Liberty Hyde Bailey Jr. was a young boy at the time. He even skipped school to see the new Kalamazoo & South Haven Railroad bridge over the Black River. He thought it was "the most wonderful engineering feat in all the world."
How the Bridge Changed
The bridge you see today was built by the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps. This group worked on the bridge over the Black River. The Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps was a team of nine people. They helped turn the old railroad trestles into covered bridges for bikes and walkers.
The Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps of 1988 included about 500 young people. They were 18-25 years old and had been unemployed. They worked for one year, earning minimum wage instead of welfare.
The bridge is named after Donald F. Nichols, a local resident. After he passed away, his family, especially Robert Nichols, gave money and materials. This donation helped change the bridge from a railroad trestle into the covered bridge we see today.
Who Was Donald F. Nichols?
Donald Nichols and his wife, Elizabeth, owned the Nichols Hotel in South Haven, Michigan. Donald passed away in 1981 when he was 72. Elizabeth died in 2001.
The hotel itself has a long history. It was started in 1926 by Ward Webster. It was made from three buildings that were built in the 1880s. Donald Nichols bought the Webster Hotel in 1944 and renamed it the Hotel Nichols. His family owned the hotel until they sold it in 2002.
