(
Archived Bridge Hunter;
Bridge Hunter;
Historic Bridges;
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I added the label "metalIron" because the bridge is made with wrought iron instead of steel.
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| 2012 photo by Chris Gonnerman via BridgeHunter, License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike (CC BY-SA) |
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HistoricBridges
"This is an extremely rare surviving bridge by the Morse Bridge Company, a builder known for unique and decorative details. This example has ornamental portal bracing. Its riveted caissons, if original (which they appear to be) are very old surviving examples of riveted caissons (this small type of caisson was sometimes called a Lally column)." |
Lisa Ruble posted
four photos with the comment:
Buskirk Ford Bridge is a through truss bridge over McKee Creek in Adams County built in 1885 and in 2018 was still open to one lane through traffic of less than 4 tons.
I photographed the Buskirk Ford Bridge on November 8, 2018. See more photos in the comments.
History about the bridge -
A special committee visited the proposed location at Buskirk Ford for the new bridge and estimated the cost in the Spring of 1885 and reported as follows: We find the necessity for the bridge urgent and the location satisfactory. We made careful soundings and found the foundation all that could be desired at a depth of three feet from the surface. - The Quincy Whig.
May 1885 Estimates
Number cubic yards masonry 238...…….$1000.00
Length of span 74 feet to sustain a
moving weight of 1200 pounds per
lineal foot, 14 foot roadway...……………...1200.00
Total Estimated Cost...……………………$2200.00
June 1885 the following advertisement appeared in the Quincy Daily Whig:
Notice To Stone Masons!
Sealed proposals will be received at the office of Peter Smith, County Engineer for Masonry for abutments and wing walls for a bridge across McKee's Creek at Buskirk Ford in the county of Adams and State of Illinois until 12 o'clock Monday.
The committee contracted with Messrs J Busch & Co of Quincy Illinois for masonry at $5.95 per cubic yard and with the Morse Bridge Company of Youngstown, Ohio, for the superstructure at $10.85 per lineal foot, the total cost being as follows:
Masonry...………….$1409.87
Superstructure...……..707.43
Total...………………$2200.00
October 1885... Solomon Belmeyer, John H Yeldell and F W Kestner, the committee of the board of supervisors on the Buskirk Ford Bridge, report that the work done by Messrs Gottilieb H Busch & Co was first class in every respect and the best bridge work ever put up in Adams County and they also wish to return thanks to August Lange, foreman for the firm, who worked day and night to get the work done on time and in a satisfactory manner. The Quincy Daily Herald.
December 1885 - The committee reported... this bridge is a very substantial wrought iron structure, 73 1/2 feet span, and that the same is now completed and paid for. - The Quincy Whig.
September 1893 - A special committee met to examine the Buskirk Ford Bridge, which had been washed away from its abutments by a flood the previous Spring. It was reported that the cost to repair the bridge would be $800 to make it fit for travel and it was recommended that the amount be appropriated for the bridge repair. The Quincy Daily Herald.
The work was reported finished in December 1893, and the bill of $650 was allowed. - The Quincy Daily Whig.
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Lisa Ruble commented on her post
Buskirk Ford Bridge is a through truss bridge over McKee Creek in Adams County built in 1885. |
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Lisa Ruble commented on her post
Buskirk Ford Bridge is a through truss bridge over McKee Creek in Adams County built in 1885. |
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Lisa Ruble commented on her post
Buskirk Ford Bridge is a through truss bridge over McKee Creek in Adams County built in 1885. |
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Lisa Ruble commented on her post
Buskirk Ford Bridge is a through truss bridge over McKee Creek in Adams County built in 1885. |
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Jesica Huber commented on Lisa's post
It hasn't been a through road by the looks of things for many years. The cutouts on the top part are beautiful. |
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| Jesica Huber commented on Lisa's post |
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| Jesica Huber commented on Lisa's post |
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July 14, 2015, photo by K. Allen Ballard via BridgeHunter
"This was taken the morning after a huge stor hit West Central, IL....If you look down the LH side, middle of the bridge you'll see a large tree & Limb is jammed up thru the railing and lodged against the bridge." |
As is expected for a wrought iron bridge, it is pin connected.
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July 14, 2015, photo by K. Allen Ballard via BridgeHunter
"SW Bank looking at tree lodged in upstream (west) railing." |
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HistoricBridges
"Some of the eyebars have an unusual design. They appear like normal loop-forged eyebars, but closer inspection shows the design is different from the usual design. Below is a photo showing the unusual detail of the eyebar. Note how the eyebar head looks thicker than the main bar." |
Here are a couple of those riveted caissons that HistoricBridges talked about.
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| 2015 photo by K. Allen Ballard via BridgeHunter |
April 2006 Flood:
At first, I thought they closed the road between N1200th Ave. andCR 1153N so that trucks would not get stuck at a place where they could not turn around. But when I zoomed out I noticed that the road is evidently closed because McKee Creek and Fisher Branch have flooded. Accessed Apr 26, 2026.
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