Sargent Bridge

Sargent Bridge is a [Pratt through truss]] bridge that spans Middle Loup River near Sargent, Nebraska. It is historically significant because it is one of the few remaining steel truss bridges that still exist in Nebrasaka constructed during the early 20th century. In 1992, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Sargent Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Sargent Bridge across the Middle Loup River south of Sargent, Nebraska
Location	Dawson St. over the Middle Loup River, 1 mile south of Sargent
Built	1909
Built by	Standard Bridge Company
Architectural style	Pratt through truss
MPS	Highway Bridges in Nebraska MPS
NRHP reference No.	92000740[1]
Added to NRHP	June 29, 1992[2]

It is a six-panel, Pratt through truss bridge.^[2] The total number of spans are 2 with a span length of 120 feet (37 m).^[2] When the bridge was completed in 1909, it was reported to be 242 feet (74 m) long,^[3] but on the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, the reported total length is 242 feet (74 m).^[2] The bridge width is 18 feet (5.5 m).

On March 19, 1908, the Custer County, Nebraska supervisors unanimously approved the construction of the Sargent Bridge.^[4] At that time, there was a wooden bridge over the river that was expensive to maintain.^[3] Building a steel bridge was viewed as more expensive by the board of supervisors, but in the long run they believed that it would be cheaper to maintain.^[3] 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.^[5] The bridge was finally completed during the first week of January, 1909, and was inspected by the count bridge committee.^[3] It was the first steel bridge every built in Custer county. Nebraska state engineers had estimated the cost at $10,000 ($339,111 today) and the original cost of the bridge by the county supervisors was $5,500 ($186,511 today). However, because of the quicksand in the river bed, bridge supports were sunk 10 feet (3.0 m) deeper at an additional cost of $1,500 ($50,867 today), which brought the total cost of the bridge to about $7,000 ($237,378 today).^[3]

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.^[2] Funds were never appropriated to rebuild the bridge, but it was subsequently incorporated into US Highway 183.^[2] In 1960, the route of US Highway was move a little to the east and the Sargent bridge was closed to public traffic.^[2] 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.^[2]

The bridge is considered historically significant because it is one of only a few multiple-span truss bridges, constructed in the early 20th century, that still exist in central Nebraska.^[2]

• Nebraska National Register Sites in Custer County