The historic bridge was built in 1915.
In the market for a new bridge? Well, you can be the proud new owner of a century-old, single-lane bridge from Colorado—and it's free.
If you have ever wanted your very own piece of Colorado history, this one is perfect for you. Martin Marietta Minerals operates the Parkdale Quarry, which is located about 15 miles west of Cañon City, Colorado. The company needs to replace the old Parkdale Bridge over the Arkansas River on County Road 157, which is the last remaining riveted Warren pony truss bridge still standing in the state. Built in 1915, the bridge is mentioned in a state record of historic bridges.
Freemont County owns the bridge; Martin Marietta Minerals is responsible for maintenance, as part of its permit to operate the quarry. The one-lane, 35-foot-wide bridge does not really suit the needs of the company, and after being informed by inspectors that the structure needed improvements and repairs, the company decided to take on the task of replacing it.
Martin Marietta Minerals is providing project management, engineering, and paying for a contractor to replace the bridge and is already working on the $2-$3-million project. Freemont County will continue to retain ownership of the new bridge once it's complete.
Whoever ends up with the bridge is responsible for moving the 20-ton, 100-foot bridge through Bighorn Sheep Canyon and onto U.S. 50, and then to wherever they end up waning to place it. An ad has been placed in the Cañon City Daily Record, and so far, the company has gotten a handful of series responses. They are reviewing all inquiries and giving preference to those who want to preserve the historical significance of the structure.
The project is slated to start in January 2021, and site preparation will begin later this month. It's hoped the new bridge project will be done by June 2021. If you want to learn more, check out the article here from the Colorado Sun, which goes into more detail about the bridge and its history.
What would you do with an old bridge like this? Put it on a farm or ranch? Turn it into a teaching tool? Or make it into something entirely different like a house or museum? Let us know what you think in the comments.
