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Side view These photos from the Historic American Engineering Record show the bridge in 1986 during construction of its replacement [HAER photos taken Oct. 1986 by James Dale Roach] |
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Oblique view |
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View from above |
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Deck view |
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Wooden approach |
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Replacement bridge This panoramic photo from Brandon Kempf shows the new bridge |
My grandparents farmed the Holtsman farm on either side of the bridge for many years. When driving a herd of cattle across the bridge, it would sway from side to side. For years it had only the horizontal planks for decking and when following another vehicle, one would see the heavy planks bouncing up and down. It was deemed so usafe, that children (my brother and I being two of them) on the west side of the river were bussed back to St. Robert, then east to highway 28, and back north to Dixon. Willie Alexander attempted to haul a load of cattle across it one time, resulting in the collapse of the western approach. I think it was at that time that the county decided to install parallel drive planks across the horizontal planks. For me, that old, rattley,rusted iron bridge will always be The Riddle Bridge.
The Riddle Bridge was named for the Riddle family of TN and MO who lived on a farm near the site. The Riddle Family Cemetery is located nearby. Thank you for making these pictures available.
