Gillespie Dam and Bridge
I started this to be like "The Bridges of Madison County". I sorta look like Clint Eastwood in my mind-but the part played by Meryl Streep is unfilled. Apply in the comments. And instead of a battered Chev pickup you'll have to ride on a Honda Goldwing. Much better.
Gillespie Bridge. It really is sort of historic in this part of the world. This structure was built in 1925-1927 after a couple of failed attempts to cross the Gila River at this site.
By the time the bridge was built Arizona had agreed to constructing their portion of the 'Ocean to Ocean Highway' which ran from Georgia to San Diego. It's almost hard to believe that until the early 1920s the only way to get to San Diego or Los Angeles was to cross the Colorado at Lee's Ferry, near 300 miles from Yuma. That highway is part of another story about another bridge.
The remains of Gillespie Dam. This is just upstream from the bridge. It was built in 1921 by a local rancher (cleverly named Gillespie) for an irrigation project. The original bridge was simply an apron poured on this side of the bridge for cars to cross which was often closed by excessive water flow.
So the state built a concrete and timber bridge at the site where the current bridge stands. It washed out 3 times in 4 years. Prison labor was used to construct it and for the reconstructions. This was back in the days when the Gila was still a real river, before the Central Arizona Irrigation Project diverted the entire flow to agricultural use.
Enter the Topeka Iron Works. They worked with the State of Arizona to design and build a bridge that would survive the floods of the Gila. It's a bit over 1000 feet (330m) from end to end and water flows had been measured at over 200,000 cfm (cubic feet per minute) when the dam failed and over 180,000 cfm at other times.
There is just a trickle left of the Gila, it's all agricultural run off. Once upon a time the Gila was the largest tributary of the Colorado and a fairly ferocious river in it's own right. Not today. Those pickups would be underwater.
Today this is a bucolic bridge that carries a bucolic highway that used to be something special. There's a nice little park and interpretative center here to commemorate what used to be. It's nice if you don't mind a little graffiti-it really is remote.
Gillespie Bridge and Gillespie Dam. Cue the music and send in Meryl.
All words and photos in this post are mine. For better or worse.
Early movement in building bridges and dams to make life easier doesn't always work for everyone, some win some lose!
Nice to learn the history not knowing anything other than Meryl LOL. Hope you loving that red Goldwing happy rides and sharing!
@tipu curate
I can't believe they tried to run traffic just in front of the dam. What could go wrong? This bridge was entirely built at the factory in Topeka then assembled on site. It's still pretty solid.
The first all steel bridge in the US was built across the Mississippi in the 1880s. Andrew Carnegie wanted to expand his steel empire so hired a genius to design a bridge. It is still carrying traffic!
Thanks for stopping by, Joan!
Roads on a bridge I have seen, in front of a dam never sounds like the people here who build along the rivers then cry when washed downstream.
Old steel bridges many remain here some in use built in the early 1900s, yes they built things to last!
Enjoy taking the bike for a few short spins before going further afield, introducing yourself to each other, she will be good fun!
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 27/87) Liquid rewards.
Well I didn't leave your post dumber 😄
Thanks! I'll take that.
New motorcycle that needs riding so I can go revisit some of the 'places' around here. I've got the photos of the next one and 3 more on the list...
Yah I saw the red beast. No ones gonna miss you when riding along 😄. Honda, not too shabby 👍.
I can't believe how smooth and powerful it is. Just an amazing piece of gear.
Nice photos! It is hard to believe they just diverted a whole river like that. I wonder what kind of long term impacts it had on the ecosystem. It is sad how shortsighted we can all be sometimes.
It's not as bad as it sounds, due to circumstances. The Gila runs into the Colorado right near downtown Yuma. The water flow to Mexico is a treaty item so any excess from the Gila would simply flow to the Gulf of California. It was use it or lose it stuff.
It has made an incredible agriculture enterprise possible. All your winter lettuce and a large fraction of your cotton and citrus is from Arizona (and the Imperial Valley of Cali. That canal runs right out of down town Yuma).
Very interesting! That is good that it didn't have a huge impact on the environment. That is a really cool bridge. It would have been neat to see the wooden one before it washed out. One of them at least.
Lovely photos. Also, that was such a super movie. Meryl and Clint were brilliant in this offbeat romance. Just like the movie, this bridge sparks feelings of unfinished business, sentimentality and a touch of sadness.
The bridge looks clunky and small now, but when it was built it was an absolute marvel of engineering.
The movie and the bridge both make me wonder 'what if?'
And the travels have begun! Very cool to learn a little of the history of where you live, and seeing the photos of the bridge! Thanks for sharing the story! 😃
It's pretty wintry everyplace but right here, so I think it's safe to assume that I'll be showing some 'local' highlights :)
I told you I saw the bones of a shed and garage-There's more there, a stretch of highway built in the 1920s that I've never been on. I'm looking forward to that.
There's something really artistic about a well designed bridge. Dams I don't much care for, but I really do enjoy looking at bridges. They really are marvellous feats of engineering.
Congratulations @bigtom13! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next target is to reach 40000 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Support the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!