Volume 024-2 - April 1970 (5 pages)

THE BRIDGEPORT BRIDGE ITSELF The Bridgeport Bridge is aninteresting study and an engineering marvel of the west having served continuously as an important crossing since 1862, With large hand hewn timbers and a net work of timbers supported by huge iron bolts as tension members for the wooden trusses they provide the support for the 230 feet of the main truss of the bridge’s one way passage. The trussess are supplemented by a double arch on each side bolted through the trusses and extending from one abutment to the othera distance of 210 feet, 4 and 5/8 inches. These arches are visible from both inside and outside the bridge. The abutments are of fitted granite blocks massive like a fort. The cover is a framework of wood, making a gabled roof and sides to shield off the rain and weather to protect the timbers and are covered with 27,000 split sugar pine shakes of 36 inches length and 5 to 6 inches wide. The Bridgeport Bridge is further described by being a type of Howe Truss with Arch, patented in 1846 by William Howe of Springfield, Mass. The bridge make use of wrought iron verticle members and cast iron bearing blocks with all other materials of wood and is believed similar to the design of the railroad bridges being built about the same time by the Central Pacific Railroad. THESE INTERIOR VIEWS OF THE BRIDGEPORT BRIDGE ARE A STUDY OF STRUCTURE AND SUNLIGHT The over-all length at the ridge pole is 240 feet and 5 inches and is the longest single span bridge in the nation. Bridgeport Bridge thus exceeds the length of the covered bridge at North Blenheim which is a Registered National Historic Landmark, This is a two lane bridge with a truss 228 feet long spanning Schoharis Creek in the State of New York and was built in 1855. It was replaced by a steel bridge in 1932 and the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to retain the covered bridge as a public historical landmark, the County becoming custodian. The bridge and an area around the bridge serves as a tourist attraction with recreation and picnic facilities. The Bridgeport Bridge will be restored and a picnic area created on the south end of the bridge where the toll station once stood if the efforts of the Committee for restoration of The Bridgeport Bridge, organized in the fall of 1969, receive the support of the people they anticipate. The Union, daily newspaper published in Grass Valley, stated in an article from the Recreation Commission report as follows: Bridgeport Bridge: ‘‘Not only is this bridge one of the few remaining covered bridges in California, but it is also the longest single span covered bridge in the United States. ----Until the new bridge is actually completed, further deterioration of, this historically valuable covered bridge is inevitable. Therefore, the Board of Supervisors must be impressed immediately with the necessity of saving the covered bridge.’’ HEAVY FREIGHT WAGON AND TRAILER WITH 6 TEAMS EQUIPPED WITH SIGNAL BELLS PART OF THE CONSTANT CHAIN OF TEAMSTERS ON THE HENNESS PASS ROUTE. ROADS LEAVING TO THE CROSSING AT BRIDGE PORT There were many roads in the period from 1849 to 1879 and these served as feeder lines from the landings on the Sacramento River to the vast mining areas of the Northern Mines and the Comstock. It is noted thatthese roads all connected with the Henness Pass route and used, as a principal thoroughfare, the toll road of the Virginia Turnpike Company and passed over the Bridgeport Bridge. Other routes did not offer the advantages of easy grades and a longer hauling season. Two roads out of Sacramento were known as the Upper and Lower Marysville Roads. The upper road cut through what is now McClellan Field and continued north northeast to Lincoln, Sheridan, Wheatland to Marysville. The Lower road was a direct route through the lower flat lands via Nicolaus or via Pleasant Grove to Marysville. East-west roads connected Nicolaus with Sheridan and Wheatland which also connected with McCourtney Road leading to Indian Springs and Grass Valley. The route most direct was through Long Valley to Spenceville then to Indian Springs, Penn Valley, Pleasant Valley and then the toll road to Bridgeport and on. The road from Marysville followed the south side of the Yuba river to Timbuctoo, although some travel followed the north side to Park’s Bar connecting with the road to Timbuctoo, Smartville, Pleasant Valley to Anthony House where both joined the Virginia Turnpike toll road. Roads also connected with a toll road to Rough and Ready through Penn Valley and a well traveled road developed from Pleasant Valley to Nevada City via Newton and Indian Flat. 19 OXEN AND SOLID FOR HEAVY (oT) There is much evidence that the building of roads by private capital was very competitive, and as mentioned, 31 toll roads were created to meet the demand and to get a share of the lucrative freight and express rates as well as passenger service. One of these was the road via Edwards Crossing to North Columbia and North Bloomfield and then on toGraniteville to connect with the Henness Pass Route. At a lower level a road was built out of Marysville through Brown’s Valley crossing the Yuba at Lander’s Bar, Mooney Flat to connect with the Henness Pass Route. The steep grades up and down were not attractive to the freight haulers in contrast to the easy grades found on the main route over the Virginia Turnpike and it’s connecting roads. Some hauling was handled over a road built from Camptonville across the Yuba River at Bullard’s Bar ata pointnear the mouth of Oregon Creek via Challenge to Marysville, but this route was rough, steep and impassible during the winter. These roads are still in use, with some rerouting, and are a delight to travel , especially for the historically inclined. THE FIRST SETTLER IN THE BRIDGEPORT AREA. Not far from Smartville above Timbuctoo and below the fork of the South Yuba was one of the three bars in the river that afforded a crossing, Parks Bar, Roses Bar, and Landers Bar. Roses Bar was named after John Rose a man engaged in mining, cattle and trading. At Roses bar much gold was taken out and at one time, about 1850 — WOOD WHEEL WAGON FREIGHT

THE BRIDGEPORT BRIDGE ITSELF The Bridgeport Bridge is aninteresting study and an engineering marvel of the west having served continuously as an important crossing since 1862, With large hand hewn timbers and a net work of timbers supported by huge iron bolts as tension members for the wooden trusses they provide the support for the 230 feet of the main truss of the bridge’s one way passage. The trussess are supplemented by a double arch on each side bolted through the trusses and extending from one abutment to the othera distance of 210 feet, 4 and 5/8 inches. These arches are visible from both inside and outside the bridge. The abutments are of fitted granite blocks massive like a fort. The cover is a framework of wood, making a gabled roof and sides to shield off the rain and weather to protect the timbers and are covered with 27,000 split sugar pine shakes of 36 inches length and 5 to 6 inches wide. The Bridgeport Bridge is further described by being a type of Howe Truss with Arch, patented in 1846 by William Howe of Springfield, Mass. The bridge make use of wrought iron verticle members and cast iron bearing blocks with all other materials of wood and is believed similar to the design of the railroad bridges being built about the same time by the Central Pacific Railroad. THESE INTERIOR VIEWS OF THE BRIDGEPORT BRIDGE ARE A STUDY OF STRUCTURE AND SUNLIGHT The over-all length at the ridge pole is 240 feet and 5 inches and is the longest single span bridge in the nation. Bridgeport Bridge thus exceeds the length of the covered bridge at North Blenheim which is a Registered National Historic Landmark, This is a two lane bridge with a truss 228 feet long spanning Schoharis Creek in the State of New York and was built in 1855. It was replaced by a steel bridge in 1932 and the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to retain the covered bridge as a public historical landmark, the County becoming custodian. The bridge and an area around the bridge serves as a tourist attraction with recreation and picnic facilities. The Bridgeport Bridge will be restored and a picnic area created on the south end of the bridge where the toll station once stood if the efforts of the Committee for restoration of The Bridgeport Bridge, organized in the fall of 1969, receive the support of the people they anticipate. The Union, daily newspaper published in Grass Valley, stated in an article from the Recreation Commission report as follows: Bridgeport Bridge: ‘‘Not only is this bridge one of the few remaining covered bridges in California, but it is also the longest single span covered bridge in the United States. ----Until the new bridge is actually completed, further deterioration of, this historically valuable covered bridge is inevitable. Therefore, the Board of Supervisors must be impressed immediately with the necessity of saving the covered bridge.’’ HEAVY FREIGHT WAGON AND TRAILER WITH 6 TEAMS EQUIPPED WITH SIGNAL BELLS PART OF THE CONSTANT CHAIN OF TEAMSTERS ON THE HENNESS PASS ROUTE. ROADS LEAVING TO THE CROSSING AT BRIDGE PORT There were many roads in the period

from 1849 to 1879 and these served as feeder lines from the landings on the Sacramento River to the vast mining areas of the Northern Mines and the Comstock. It is noted thatthese roads all connected with the Henness Pass route and used, as a principal thoroughfare, the toll road of the Virginia Turnpike Company and passed over the Bridgeport Bridge. Other routes did not offer the advantages of easy grades and a longer hauling season. Two roads out of Sacramento were known as the Upper and Lower Marysville Roads. The upper road cut through what is now McClellan Field and continued north northeast to Lincoln, Sheridan, Wheatland to Marysville. The Lower road was a direct route through the lower flat lands via Nicolaus or via Pleasant Grove to Marysville. East-west roads connected Nicolaus with Sheridan and Wheatland which also connected with McCourtney Road leading to Indian Springs and Grass Valley. The route most direct was through Long Valley to Spenceville then to Indian Springs, Penn Valley, Pleasant Valley and then the toll road to Bridgeport and on. The road from Marysville followed the south side of the Yuba river to Timbuctoo, although some travel followed the north side to Park’s Bar connecting with the road to Timbuctoo, Smartville, Pleasant Valley to Anthony House where both joined the Virginia Turnpike toll road. Roads also connected with a toll road to Rough and Ready through Penn Valley and a well traveled road developed from Pleasant Valley to Nevada City via Newton and Indian Flat. 19 OXEN AND SOLID FOR HEAVY (oT) There is much evidence that the building of roads by private capital was very competitive, and as mentioned, 31 toll roads were created to meet the demand and to get a share of the lucrative freight and express rates as well as passenger service. One of these was the road via Edwards Crossing to North Columbia and North Bloomfield and then on toGraniteville to connect with the Henness Pass Route. At a lower level a road was built out of Marysville through Brown’s Valley crossing the Yuba at Lander’s Bar, Mooney Flat to connect with the Henness Pass Route. The steep grades up and down were not attractive to the freight haulers in contrast to the easy grades found on the main route over the Virginia Turnpike and it’s connecting roads. Some hauling was handled over a road built from Camptonville across the Yuba River at Bullard’s Bar ata pointnear the mouth of Oregon Creek via Challenge to Marysville, but this route was rough, steep and impassible during the winter. These roads are still in use, with some rerouting, and are a delight to travel , especially for the historically inclined. THE FIRST SETTLER IN THE BRIDGEPORT AREA. Not far from Smartville above Timbuctoo and below the fork of the South Yuba was one of the three bars in the river that afforded a crossing, Parks Bar, Roses Bar, and Landers Bar. Roses Bar was named after John Rose a man engaged in mining, cattle and trading. At Roses bar much gold was taken out and at one time, about 1850 — WOOD WHEEL WAGON FREIGHT