Watts Mill Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watts Mill Bridge |
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Watts Mill Bridge in September 2008
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| Coordinates | 40°47′26″N 80°29′38″W / 40.79056°N 80.49389°W |
| Carries | Watts Mill Road |
| Crosses | Little Beaver Creek |
| Locale | Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Other name(s) | Bridge in South Beaver Township |
| Maintained by | PennDOT |
| NBI Number | 044009006000000 |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 109 ft (33 m) |
| Width | 12.5 ft (3.8 m) |
| Load limit | 14.5 t (16.0 short tons) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | West Penn Bridge Company |
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Bridge in South Beaver Township
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architect | West Penn Bridge Co. |
| MPS | Highway Bridges Owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Transportation TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000868 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 1988 |
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The Watts Mill Bridge is a special old bridge in Pennsylvania, United States. It crosses over the Little Beaver Creek near a place called Cannelton. This bridge is famous because it's a "truss bridge," which means it's built with a strong framework of triangles. It was built a long, long time ago in 1878!
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Discovering the Watts Mill Bridge
The Watts Mill Bridge is a type of bridge called a "pin-connected Pratt pony truss bridge". This means it's built using a special design that makes it very strong. It uses a pattern of triangles connected by pins, which helps the bridge hold a lot of weight.
How the Bridge Was Built
The bridge was built in 1878 by a company called the West Penn Bridge Company. They were located nearby in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The bridge is found in a valley, not far from the North Country National Scenic Trail, which is a long hiking path.
A Historic Landmark
In 1988, the Watts Mill Bridge became a very important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of places in the United States that are important to history. When it was first added, it was simply known as the Bridge in South Beaver Township. It's the only bridge in Beaver County that is on this list all by itself!
Saving the Bridge
By 2004, the Watts Mill Bridge was starting to look old and rusty. The PennDOT, which takes care of roads and bridges in Pennsylvania, was thinking about taking it down. But a group called the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh stepped in. They thought the bridge was too important to lose. They even put it on a list of the "Top Ten Best Historic Preservation Opportunities in the Pittsburgh Area."
A New Purpose for the Bridge
Thanks to efforts to save it, the bridge was carefully taken apart in 2019. This was done with help from a group called Workin' Bridges. The plan is to fix up the bridge so that people can use it for walking and biking. This way, everyone can still enjoy this historic spot and explore the area around it.
