South Dakota Department of Transportation Bridge No. 63-132-040 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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South Dakota Department of Transportation Bridge No. 63-132-040
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 Location in South Dakota
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Parker, South Dakota |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1939 |
| Built by | Turner County Highway Dept.; Work Progress Administration |
| Architectural style | Stone arch |
| MPS | Historic Bridges in South Dakota MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001215 |
| Added to NRHP | September 29, 1999 |
The South Dakota Department of Transportation Bridge No. 63-132-040 is a really old and important bridge in Turner County, South Dakota. It was built a long time ago in 1939. This bridge is special because it's a great example of a stone arch bridge from that time. It was built with help from a special government program called the New Deal, which gave people jobs during a difficult time in history. Because it's so important, this bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
About This Historic Bridge
This bridge, known as Bridge No. 63-016-150, is found in the countryside of northern Turner County. It helps 272nd Street cross over a small stream. It's located between 453rd Avenue and South Dakota Highway 19.
What Does the Bridge Look Like?
This bridge is made of stone and has two arches. It's about 24 feet (7.3 meters) long in total. Each of its two arches is shaped like a segment of a circle. They span about 10 feet (3 meters) wide. The arches rise about 12 inches (0.3 meters) above the ground.
The bridge also has stone walls on its sides, called wing walls. These walls go up to low stone railings, called parapets. These railings act like curbs for the road. The bridge is built from local stones found in fields. Most of these stones are roughly cut and placed randomly. However, the parts you see on the outside have been carefully trimmed and made square.
How Was This Bridge Built?
This bridge is one of 180 stone arch bridges built in Turner County. They were all part of a government program called the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA). This program was part of the New Deal era. It helped people find jobs during a tough economic time.
The county government found that building stone bridges was cheaper than using steel beams. This was because there were many skilled stone workers available. Also, the government helped pay their wages. The county was in charge of watching the work crews and providing the building materials. This specific bridge was built in 1935 by a county crew. It followed a standard design from the state. It is one of only two bridges in the county built with FERA money. Other bridges were built later with funds from the Works Progress Administration.
