Walton Bridge (Keene, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Walton Bridge
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dr. Ray Rd. (Old Grist Mill Road) AuSable R., Keene, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1890 |
| Architect | Berlin Iron Bridge Company |
| Architectural style | Lenticular Through Truss |
| MPS | AuSable River Valley Bridges MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001326 |
| Added to NRHP | November 12, 1999 |
The Walton Bridge was a special bridge in Keene, New York. It was built around 1890 and was considered so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Sadly, a big flood caused by Tropical Storm Irene on August 29, 2011, completely destroyed it.
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A Bridge with a Journey
The Walton Bridge wasn't always in Keene. It was first built around 1890 in a place called Black Brook, New York. It helped people cross a stream there. This bridge was part of a 14-mile road where people paid a fee to use it. This road was managed by a company called the Western Plank Road Company.
Who Built the Bridge?
The Berlin Iron Bridge Company (BIBC) built the Walton Bridge. This company was located in East Berlin, Connecticut. BIBC started in 1883, but its roots go back to the 1860s. They first made things like metal roofs and fireproof doors.
Later, they bought the rights to a special bridge design. This design was called a "lenticular truss." Imagine a bridge that looks like a lens or an eye shape when you see it from the side. This made their bridges very strong and unique.
A Popular Design
The Berlin Iron Bridge Company became very good at building these lenticular truss bridges. They built about 1,000 of them between 1878 and the late 1890s. These bridges were sold all over the United States!
BIBC grew to be the biggest company making metal structures in New England. Another large company bought them in 1900. After that, the factories in East Berlin were taken apart and moved.
Moving to a New Home
By 1925, the Walton Bridge was no longer needed in Black Brook. It was replaced by a newer, stronger bridge. But the Walton Bridge wasn't thrown away! It was moved to its new home in Keene, New York.
A flood had washed away the old bridge in Keene. So, the Walton Bridge was perfect for replacing it. It was placed on new, higher supports to protect it from future floods. This shows how bridges were sometimes moved and reused in different places.
A Long Service Life
The Walton Bridge served the Keene community well for many years. It was used by cars until 1990. After that, it became a bridge just for people walking. This was because there was another road nearby that cars could use.
The End of the Bridge
On August 28, 2011, a very powerful storm hit the area. It was called Tropical Storm Irene. The storm caused huge floods. The strong floodwaters completely destroyed the Walton Bridge. Pieces of the bridge were washed far downstream.
