Avery Road–Galien River Bridge

The Avery Road–Galien River Bridge is a bridge that carried Avery Road (also known as Mill Road)[5] over the Galien River near New Troy, Michigan. The year of construction is uncertain, but it was built by 1928. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Avery Road–Galien River Bridge
Coordinates41.8743°N 86.5549°W / 41.8743; -86.5549
CrossesGalien River
LocaleNew Troy, Michigan
Other name(s)Mill Road–Galien River Bridge
Characteristics
DesignCurved-chord through-girder[1]
Total length60 feet (18 m)
Width25.7 feet (7.8 m)
Longest span57 feet (17 m)
No. of spans1
Location
References
[2]
BuiltBy 1928, likely 1923
NRHP reference No.99001577[3]
Added to NRHPDecember 17, 1999[4]

History

A map shows that the location of this bridge has served as a river crossing since at least 1860. Avery Road was constructed in 1922, and it is likely that the bridge was built at about the same time, but the year of construction is not known for sure.[1] A set of road plans dated July 1922 shows what appears to be a one-lane bridge at the site, though there is no mention of a new bridge. A Historic Bridge Inventory Form completed in 1982 indicates that construction took place in 1928, a date repeated in a 1995 inventory.[1][6] However, the minutes of the county road commission from 1926 to 1929 make no mention of the bridge, rendering the date suspect. The department's Tenth Biennial Report, for the period July 1, 1922 to June 30, 1924, lists a State Reward Bridge built by "W. Marshall & Son" that appears to be the same type and in the correct location. A bridge plate (since removed) corroborates this information, making a date circa 1923 likely. The bridge was built by the Michigan State Highway Department, during Frank F. Rogers time as commissioner, and the Board of Berrien County Road Commissioners. W. Marshall and Sons of Grand Rapids, Michigan, served as contractor.[1]

At some point, a new bridge was built adjacent to the historic bridge that now carries Avery Road.[7][8]

The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 17, 1999.[2] Two other bridges in Berrien County, the Blossomland Bridge and the North Watervliet Road–Paw Paw Lake Outlet Bridge, were added the same day.[4]

Design and location

The Avery Road–Galien River Bridge is a curved-chord through-girder bridge designed according to standard plans. It is one of the oldest examples of this type of bridge. The bridge crosses the north-flowing Galien River at about its midpoint near the village of New Troy.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Avery Rd. / Galien River". Historic Bridges. Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on January 22, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  2. Staff. "Avery Road/Galien River Bridge". State Historic Preservation Office. Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Archived from the original on 2012-12-25. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  4. "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/13/99 Through 12/17/99". National Park Service. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  5. Chad J. Perkins; Charlene K. Roise (December 17, 1999). "NRHP Nomination: Avery Road - Galien River Bridge (including accompanying 2 photos, from 1995)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service: 4.
  6. "Michigan Bridge Inventory: Survey Sample" (PDF). Michigan Department of Transportation. June 1995. p. 4. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  7. Google (August 22, 2012). "Avery Rd" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  8. "New Troy Bridge". HistoricBridges.org. Archived from the original on May 21, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2012.

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