Old bridge dedication is Friday
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 01:27 p.m., October 30, 2007
Updated 01:27 p.m., October 30, 2007
Cottonwood Falls — Friday will bring a flurry of activity to the historic Cottonwood River bridge in Cottonwood Falls for the newly restored bridge’s dedication.
The dedication will start at 1 p.m. Friday in downtown Cottonwood Falls. Area school children will attend, the Chase County High School band will play and dignitaries from county and state offices will attend.
“We expect quite a turnout,” said Cottonwood Falls city clerk Shirley Lincoln. “... A lot of people have been working together to make this happen .... We’re so proud of this. It’s just going to be a great day.”
The Cottonwood River Bridge is a part of the Community Connection Trail which will eventually run from Cottonwood Falls through Strong City and link up with the lower trails at the Tallgrass National Preserve. The restoration of the bridge is phase one of the three-phase project.
The Cottonwood River bridge was built in 1914 as part of the original U.S. Highway 50, which was later moved. It was part of Kansas Highway 177 until the mid 1970s when the highway was rebuilt. In 1984, after repeated flooding, the deteriorating bridge was closed to fishermen and pedestrians. Now, with restoration of the bridge, residents and visitors will be able to use the bridge for fishing, access to the riverbank, walking or just sitting.
RUSSRUSSEL (anonymous) says...
MY GOODNESS, I WENT THRU THE FLOOD OF 1951 WITH THAT BRIDGE AND DROPING OF THE DUCK TO RESCUE PEOPLE IN STRONG CITY. ALSO CAUGH AND LEARNED HOW TO FISH OFF OF THAT BRIDGE. THANK YOU WHOM EVER DECITED TO SAVE THAT WONDERFUL BRIDGE AND MEMORY. MY FATHER RAN THE FORD GARAGE IN COTTONWOOD FALLS. GOD LESS RUSS RUSSELL
December 16, 2007 at 6:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )