Bowstring Bridge

Built in Cleveland, Ohio, the bowstring bridge was originally located across Rock Creek, north of Meridan, in 1875.

The 48-ft long, 14-ft wide bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 4, 1990. This will provide protection and funds for rehabilitation of the bridge and will assure that the bridge remains an example of a structure fabricated and sold by a prolific out-of-state bridge builder, and that it still stands as a monument to the early settlers in the state and their striving for economic progress. It is significant as a design of the time period, constructed by The King Bridge Manufactory which was important in Kansas for a short time. Although it has taken on many years of weathering, the nameplate is still fairly legible. It states that the bridge was built by the King Iron Bridge and Manufacturing Company under a patent issued on July 30, 1867.

The bridge was moved in the 1950’s to southeast of Valley Falls. In 1975, it was moved to Old Jefferson Town. The bridge spans a small creek and provides a crossing to other points of interest at Old Jefferson Town.