The bridge that burned last week over Gordon Creek, which is a about nine miles southeast of Helper, is a historic bridge built in the early part of the 20th century.
The line the bridge is constructed on was originally used to haul coal from old town of Mohrland to the main Rio Grande Line in Helper. Construction of the main to the Utah Railway junction and the Martin yard started in October of 1912 and was completed on October 31, 1914 at a cost of $3,383,510.
Two of the best features of the main line were (are) the Italian dry-masonry culverts in various places along the line and the Gordon Creek Bridge itself. The bridge is the longest steel girder bridge of its height in the state of Utah. It stands 135 feet tall, 634 feet long, and is built at a 60-percent curve.
The bridge is also unique in the United States with very few bridges with this kind of construction in existence anymore.
(Source: Utah Railroad History by Charlotte Hamaker and photo from the Vern Jeffers Collection.)
[dfads params='groups=4969&limit=1&orderby=random']
[dfads params='groups=1745&limit=1&orderby=random']