Ocqueoc Falls Highway–Ocqueoc River Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ocqueoc Falls Highway–Ocqueoc River Bridge
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ocqueoc Falls Highway over Ocqueoc R., Ocqueoc Township, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1920 |
| Built by | John Decker |
| Architect | Michigan State Highway Department |
| Architectural style | Spandrel arch |
| MPS | Highway Bridges of Michigan MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001536 |
| Added to NRHP | December 17, 1999 |
The Ocqueoc Falls Highway–Ocqueoc River Bridge is a special old bridge in Ocqueoc Township, Michigan. It crosses the Ocqueoc River on the Ocqueoc Falls Highway. This bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It is important because it is a very old and well-kept example of a concrete arch bridge. The Michigan State Highway Department built many bridges like this one.
A Look Back: The Bridge's History
In 1913, the state of Michigan decided to create a main road system. This system was called the state trunkline system. The plan said that the Michigan State Highway Department would build and take care of all big bridges on these main roads. A main road was soon planned for Presque Isle County, Michigan. Most of the road work was finished by 1915.
However, the Michigan State Highway Department did not start designing this specific bridge until 1919. It was given the name Trunk Line Bridge No. 253. The state asked for bids from companies to build it. A builder named John Decker from Rogers City, Michigan won the contract. He was paid $8,849 to build the bridge. The bridge was completely finished in 1920.
Later, this part of the main road became known as US-23 and M-68. In 1954, the main highway was moved to a different bridge. But the Ocqueoc Falls Highway–Ocqueoc River Bridge still carries local cars and trucks today.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The Ocqueoc Falls Highway–Ocqueoc River Bridge is about 57 feet (17 m) long. It is 23 feet (7.0 m) wide, and the part where cars drive is 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. The main part of the bridge is a 50 feet (15 m) filled spandrel arch. This means it has a big, rounded arch shape. The arch sits on strong concrete supports called abutments.
The arch has a special design called a corbelled ring arch. The concrete guardrails along the sides have decorative panels. You can also see bronze plates on the guardrails. These plates say "Trunk Line Bridge." The bridge is a bit old and worn in some places. However, it still looks mostly the same as it did when it was first built.
