Rosalia Railroad Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rosalia Railroad Bridge
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 Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | crosses Washington State Route 271 |
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| Nearest city | Rosalia, Washington |
| Built | 1915 |
| Architectural style | concrete arch |
| MPS | Historic Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004310 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1982 |
The Rosalia Railroad Bridge is a special bridge in Washington state. It was built a long time ago, in 1915, by a railroad company called the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road. This bridge is unique because it's made of concrete arches, which was unusual for a railroad bridge back then. It was designed to look impressive because it crossed over another railroad's tracks, a main road, and was visible from a nearby park.
The Rosalia Railroad Bridge
Why Was This Bridge Built?
The Milwaukee Road company built the Rosalia Railroad Bridge in 1915. It was made to replace an older bridge that was built from wood. The new bridge was designed with a special concrete arch shape. This was unusual for a railroad bridge. The company wanted it to look very impressive. This is because it crossed over tracks belonging to the Northern Pacific Railroad, which was a rival company. It also crossed a state highway and could be seen from Steptoe Battlefield State Park.
The bridge is actually made of two main parts, or spans. These two parts are separated by a raised area of land. The eastern part of the bridge is about 114-foot (35 m) long. It crosses over the Northern Pacific tracks. The western part is much longer, about 502-foot (153 m). This section crosses over Pine Creek, more railroad tracks, and the main highway.
What Happened to the Bridge?
In the 1980s, the Milwaukee Road company faced financial problems and went out of business. Because of this, the State of Washington took ownership of the bridge. They also took over the land where the railroad tracks used to be.
The Rosalia Railroad Bridge is considered very important because of its unique design. It has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of places in the United States that are important for their history or design.
