Rolla in Phelps County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Old Wooden (Main Street) Bridge
Rolla
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 15, 2019
1. Old Wooden (Main Street) Bridge Marker
Inscription.
Old Wooden (Main Street) Bridge. Rolla. The exact date of construction of the Main Street bridge is unknown. Based on old Rolla Express newspaper ads, it was in existence by 1862. Available records point to a less than reliable past. During its first fifty years, the bridge was condemned and rebuilt at least three times by Frisco crews. Despite "bad press", the bridge served more than a functional purpose for the citizens of Rolla. Touted as "Rolla's Greatest Summer Resort" it served as a location for individuals to congregate to enjoy the breezes, a rendezvous point for couples in love and a setting for summer concerts for the "Old Town." In 1997, Burlington Northern proposed removing the bridge to eliminate further maintenance of the structure. However, at the request of the City of Rolla, the two organizations partnered to convert the bridge to a pedestrian walkbridge, thus saving one of Rolla's last remaining Civil War era landmarks.
The exact date of construction of the Main Street bridge is unknown. Based on old Rolla Express newspaper ads, it was in existence by 1862. Available records point to a less than reliable past. During its first fifty years, the bridge was condemned and rebuilt at least three times by Frisco crews. Despite "bad press", the bridge served more than a functional purpose for the citizens of Rolla. Touted as "Rolla's Greatest Summer Resort" it served as a location for individuals to congregate to enjoy the breezes, a rendezvous point for couples in love and a setting for summer concerts for the "Old Town." In 1997, Burlington Northern proposed removing the bridge to eliminate further maintenance of the structure. However, at the request of the City of Rolla, the two organizations partnered to convert the bridge to a pedestrian walkbridge, thus saving one of Rolla's last remaining Civil War era landmarks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Bridges & Viaducts. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.
Location. 37° 56.814′ N, 91° 46.361′ W. Marker is in Rolla, Missouri, in Phelps County. It is at the intersection of North Rolla Street and West 4th Street, on the right when traveling south on North Rolla Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 308 North Rolla Street, Rolla MO 65401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Missouri. It is also in the American Ozarks, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 15, 2019
2. Old Wooden (Main Street) Bridge Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,118 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
