Friday, February 13, 2026

1923 Original US-66 Devils Elbow Bridge over Big Piney River at Devils Elbow, MO

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)


"Built 1923; made obsolete by new US 66 bridge in 1942; rehabilitated 2013-14." [ArchivedBridgeHunter]

There are some tourist attractions along the 1942 route.

Street View, Nov 2021

Photo by James McCray via BridgeHunter

Street View, Nov 2021

This shows the "U.S. Rte 66" that bypassed the bridge in 1942. I think the tourist traffic on Route 66 is becoming an important part of the economy in this area, thus MoDOT considers it worth preserving these original 1923 truss bridges. (Route 66 was created in 2026 by designating the original route of the Devils Elbow Bridge as part of the route.) Note that I-44 has bypassed the bypass. [BridgeHunter]
Satellite

Zooming in, it is easy to see the original route across the bridge because Google Maps labels it "U.S. Bicycle Rte 66." But it is not obvious where the original route is north of Rte 66.
Satellite

The original route north of Rte 66 was replaced, not just bypassed, by Rte 66.
1936/36 Waynesville Quad @ 48,000

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