Anderson in Grimes County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Rocky Creek Bridge
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2013
1. Rocky Creek Bridge Marker
Inscription.
Rocky Creek Bridge. . This historic bridge was originally located on CR 263 (known locally as CR 180) over Rocky Creek. Constructed around 1905, the Warren pony truss measured 50 feet in length and is a rare survivor of a once-common structure. The single-span, four panel bridge is comprised primarily of riveted and bolted steel channels, I-beams and plates and pin-connected Eye-bars. The main steel components were shop-riveted and then bolted into their final configuration on site., A popular retreat through the 1890s, nearby Kellum Springs was likely a motivating force that resulted in the development of an early road north of Anderson that led to the springs and then connected with Iola to facilitate travel from the northern reaches of the county. The crossing of Rocky Creek with a bridge along this route was a necessity, as it remained a primary north/south route between Anderson and Iola into the 20th century., The bridge now stands as an early landmark of Texas engineering history with a heritage proudly shared by the people of Grimes County.
This historic bridge was originally located on CR 263 (known locally as CR 180) over Rocky Creek. Constructed around 1905, the Warren pony truss measured 50 feet in length and is a rare survivor of a once-common structure. The single-span, four panel bridge is comprised primarily of riveted and bolted steel channels, I-beams and plates and pin-connected Eye-bars. The main steel components were shop-riveted and then bolted into their final configuration on site.
A popular retreat through the 1890s, nearby Kellum Springs was likely a motivating force that resulted in the development of an early road north of Anderson that led to the springs and then connected with Iola to facilitate travel from the northern reaches of the county. The crossing of Rocky Creek with a bridge along this route was a necessity, as it remained a primary north/south route between Anderson and Iola into the 20th century.
The bridge now stands as an early landmark of Texas engineering history with a heritage proudly shared by the people of Grimes County.
N, 95° 59.187′ W. Marker is in Anderson, Texas, in Grimes County. Marker is on South Main Street (County Highway 245) south of West Apalonia Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located in a vacant lot behind the First United Methodist Church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 283 South Main Street, Anderson TX 77830, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . 1. Bridge Basics. (includes diagrams and pictures of various bridge configurations) in a Pony configuration, traffic travels between parallel superstructures which are not cross-braced at the top; (Submitted on December 26, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Warren Truss. The Warren truss was patented in 1848 by James Warren and Willoughby Theobald Monzani, and consists of longitudinal members joined only by angled cross-members, forming
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2013
2. Rocky Creek Bridge Marker (tall view)
alternately inverted equilateral triangle-shaped spaces along its length, ensuring that no individual strut, beam, or tie is subject to bending or torsional straining forces, but only to tension or compression. Loads on the diagonals alternate between compression and tension (approaching the center), with no vertical elements, while elements near the center must support both tension and compression in response to live loads. This configuration combines strength with economy of materials and can therefore be relatively light. (Submitted on December 26, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2013
3. Rocky Creek Bridge Marker (wide view)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2013
4. Rocky Creek Bridge
Credits. This page was last revised on April 30, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 663 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 26, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
