Sargent Bridge: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Sargent Bridge

| nrhp_type = =

| image = Sargent bridge from SE 1.JPG

| alt = =

| caption = Sargent Bridge across the [[Loup River|Middle Loup River]] south of [[Sargent, Nebraska]]

| location = = Dawson St. over the Middle Loup River, 1 mile south of Sargent

| coordinates = {{coord|41|37|38|N|99|22|18.0|W|display=inline,title}}

| lat_degrees = 41

| locmapin = Nebraska#USA▼

| lat_minutes = 37

| built = 1909▼

| lat_seconds = 38

| builder = [[Standard Bridge Company]]▼

| lat_direction = N

| demolished = 2019

| long_degrees = 99

| architect =▼

| long_minutes = 22

| architecture = [[Pratt through truss]]▼

| long_seconds = 18.0

| added = June 29, 1992<ref name=NRHP>{{cite news|title=Sargent Bridge|url=http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/custer/CU00-073_Sargent_Bridge.pdf|accessdatearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305175016/http://nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/custer/CU00-073_Sargent_Bridge.pdf|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 5, 2012|access-date=23 August 2014|publisher=[[United States Department of the Interior]]|date=6 May 6, 1992}}</ref>▼

| long_direction = W

| delisted = March 13, 2020<ref>{{NRHPweekly}}</ref>

| coord_display = inline,title

| area =▼

▲ | locmapin = Nebraska

| mpsub = {{NRHP url|id=64500389|title=Highway Bridges in Nebraska MPS}}

▲ | built = 1909

| refnum = 92000740<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>▼

▲ | builder = [[Standard Bridge Company]]

▲ | architect =

▲ | architecture = [[Pratt through truss]]

▲ | added = June 29, 1992<ref name=NRHP>{{cite news|title=Sargent Bridge|url=http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/custer/CU00-073_Sargent_Bridge.pdf|accessdate=23 August 2014|publisher=[[United States Department of the Interior]]|date=6 May 1992}}</ref>

▲ | area =

| governing_body = Middle Loup Irrigation District

| mpsub = [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/64500389.pdf Highway Bridges in Nebraska MPS]

▲ | refnum = 92000740<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

}}

'''Sargent Bridge''' iswas a [[Pratt through truss]] steel bridge that spansspanned the [[Loup River|Middle Loup River]] near [[Sargent, Nebraska]]. ItIn is1992, historicallyit significantwas becauselisted itin the [[National Register of Historic Places]], isas one of the few remaining steel truss bridges that still existconstructed in [[Nebraska]] constructed during the early 20th century. InIt 1992,was itdestroyed wasby listedflooding in the2019, [[Nationaland Registerwas ofdelisted Historicin Places]]2020.

==Description==

ItThe isbridge was a six-panel, Pratt through truss steel bridge.<ref name=NRHP/> The total number of spans are 2, with a span length oftwo {{convert|120|ft|adj=on}} spans.<ref name=NRHP/> When the bridge was completed in 1909, it was reported to be {{convert|242|ft}} long,<ref name=finished/>; but on the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, the reported total length iswas {{convert|242136|ft}}.<ref name=NRHP/> The bridge width iswas {{convert|18|ft}}.<ref name=NRHP/><ref name=finished/>

==History and significance==

On March 19, 1908, the [[Custer County, Nebraska]] supervisors unanimously approved the construction of the Sargent Bridge.<ref>

{{cite news|title=Proceedings of County Supervisors|url=httphttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/906800/custer_county_republican/|newspaper=Custer County Republican|date=19 March 19, 1908|page=1|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdateaccess-date = August 23, 2014 }} {{Open access}}</ref> At that time, there was a wooden bridge over the river that was expensive to maintain.<ref name=finished/> Building a steel bridge was viewed as more expensive by the board of supervisors, but in the long run they believed that it would besave cheapermoney toon maintainmaintenance.<ref name=finished/>

Work began on the bridge, November 19, 1908. However, construction on the bridge had been delayed and the starting date was approximately one month after its planned finish. The [[Standard Bridge Company]] was commissioned to build the bridge and they were under bond to build the bridge by October 13, 1908, but according to the bond they were only liable for damages and additional expenses if the bridge was not built on time.<ref> ▼

{{cite news|title=Work on the Sargent Bridge|url=http://www.newspapers.com/clip/906828/custer_county_republican/|newspaper=Custer County Republican|date=19 November 1908|page=1|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = August 23, 2014 }} {{Open access}}</ref> The bridge was finally completed during the first week of January, 1909, and was inspected by the count bridge committee.<ref name=finished>▼

{{cite news|title=Sargent Bridge Completed|url=http://www.newspapers.com/clip/906856/custer_county_republican/|newspaper=Custer County Republican|date=14 January 1909|page=1|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = August 23, 2014 }} {{Open access}}</ref> It was the first steel bridge every built in Custer county. Nebraska state engineers had estimated the cost at $10,000 (${{Inflation|US|10000|1909|fmt=c}} today) and the original cost of the bridge by the county supervisors was $5,500 (${{Inflation|US|5500|1909|fmt=c}} today). However, because of the [[quicksand]] in the river bed, bridge supports were sunk {{convert|10|ft}} deeper at an additional cost of $1,500 (${{Inflation|US|1500|1909|fmt=c}} today), which brought the total cost of the bridge to about $7,000 (${{Inflation|US|7000|1909|fmt=c}} today).<ref name=finished/>▼

▲Work began on the bridge, on November 19, 1908. However, construction on the bridge had been delayed and the starting date was approximately one month after its planned finish. The [[Standard Bridge Company]] was commissioned to build the bridge and they were under bond to build the bridge by October 13, 1908, but according to the bond they were only liable for damages and additional expenses if the bridge was not built on time.<ref>

In 1920, the Custer count board of supervisors, asked the Nebraska state high authorities to rebuild the Sargent Bridge to meet state and federal specifications.<ref name=NRHP/> Funds were never appropriated to rebuild the bridge, but it was subsequently incorporated into US Highway 183.<ref name=NRHP/> In 1960, the route of US Highway was move a little to the east and the Sargent bridge was closed to public traffic.<ref name=NRHP/> It was subsequently acquired by the Middle Loup Irrigation District and as of 1992, it provided non-public access to its diversion dam. As of 1992, the east web of the north truss had broken, but the bridge was still structurally sound.<ref name=NRHP/>▼

▲{{cite news|title=Work on the Sargent Bridge|url=httphttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/906828/custer_county_republican/|newspaper=Custer County Republican|date=19 November 19, 1908|page=1|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdateaccess-date = August 23, 2014 }} {{Open access}}</ref> The bridge was finally completed during the first week of January, 1909, and it was inspected and approved by the countcounty bridge committee.<ref name=finished>

{{cite news|title=Sargent Bridge Completed|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/906856/custer_county_republican/|newspaper=Custer County Republican|date=January 14, 1909|page=1|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = August 23, 2014 }} {{Open access}}</ref>

▲{{cite news|title=Sargent Bridge Completed|url=http://www.newspapers.com/clip/906856/custer_county_republican/|newspaper=Custer County Republican|date=14 January 1909|page=1|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = August 23, 2014 }} {{Open access}}</ref> ItThis was the first steel bridge every built in Custer countyCounty. Nebraska state engineers had estimated the cost at $10,000 (${{Inflation|US|10000|1909|fmt=c}} today) and the original cost of the bridge by the county supervisors was $5,500 (${{Inflation|US|5500|1909|fmt=c}} today). However, because of the [[quicksand]] in the river bed, bridge supports were sunk {{convert|10|ft}} deeper at an additional cost of $1,500 (${{Inflation|US|1500|1909|fmt=c}} today), which brought the total cost of the bridge to about $7,000 (${{Inflation|US|7000|1909|fmt=c}} today).<ref name=finished/>

The bridge is considered historically significant because it is one of only a few multiple-span [[truss bridge]]s, constructed in the early 20th century, that still exist in central Nebraska.<ref name=NRHP/>

▲In 1920, the Custer countCounty board of supervisors, asked the Nebraska state highhighway authorities to rebuild the Sargent Bridge to meet state and federal specifications.<ref name=NRHP/> Funds were never appropriated to rebuild the bridge, but it was subsequently incorporated into US Highway 183.<ref name=NRHP/> In 1960, the route of USthe Highwayhighway was movemoved a littleshort distance to the east, and the Sargent1909 bridge was closed to public traffic.<ref name=NRHP/> It was subsequently acquired by the Middle Loup Irrigation District and as of 1992, it provided non-public access to its diversion dam. As of 1992, the east web of the north truss had broken, but the bridge was still structurally sound.<ref name=NRHP/>

[[File:Sargent bridge remains from N bank 2.jpg|thumb|alt=Two vertical cylindrical pilings, joined by horizontal beam near tops, standing in river|Remains of bridge in 2019: central piling, with south abutment in background]]

In 1992, the bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as one of only a few multiple-span steel [[truss bridge]]s constructed in the early 20th century that were still extant in Nebraska. At that time, the east web of the north truss had broken, but the bridge was still structurally sound, and providing non-public access to a [[diversion dam]].<ref name=NRHP/><ref>{{cite news|title=Highway Bridges in Nebraska 1970 - 1942|url={{NRHP url|id=64500389}}|access-date=August 23, 2014|publisher=[[United States Department of the Interior]]|date=June 6, 1992}}</ref>

In March 2019, ice chunks carried by heavy flooding in the river destroyed the bridge. The north span was carried about 80 yards downstream, where it caught on the diversion dam; one end of the south span was pushed off a piling, and the span was twisted some 45 degrees. It was deemed necessary to remove the remains of the bridge from the river, lest future flooding carry them downstream to damage the current Highway 183 bridge.<ref name=destroyed>{{cite news |last=Gnuse |first=Brian |date=March 18, 2019 |title=110 Year Old Bridge Destroyed South of Sargent in the Recent Flooding |url=https://nebraska.tv/features/ntvs-good-life/110-bridge-destroyed-south-of-sargent-in-the-recent-flooding |work=NTV News |access-date=June 25, 2019}}</ref>

==References==

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==External links==

* {{commons category-inline|Sargent Bridge}}

* {{usurped|1=[httphttps://wwwweb.archive.org/web/20000411130427/http://nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/custer.htm Nebraska National Register Sites in Custer County]}}

{{National Register of Historic Places}}

[[Category:Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska]]

[[Category:Bridges completed in 1909]]

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Custer County, Nebraska]]

[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Custer County, Nebraska]]

[[Category:Steel bridges in the United States]]

[[Category:Former National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska]]