Delhi Bridge
| Delhi Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Coordinates | 42°20′01″N 83°48′33″W / 42.3337°N 83.8091°WCoordinates: 42°20′01″N 83°48′33″W / 42.3337°N 83.8091°W |
| Characteristics | |
| No. of spans | 1 |
|
Delhi Bridge
|
|
 
|
|
| Built | 1888–1890 |
| NRHP Reference # | 08000844 |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 2008 |
The Delhi Bridge, also known as the East Delhi Bridge, is a one-lane, wrought iron Pratt through truss bridge that carries East Delhi Road over the Huron River in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The bridge was completed October 12, 1883 to replace a wooden span built in 1851. In 1917, the bridge was severely damaged by a tornado but was rebuilt. After it was closed to traffic in 2005 for being unsafe, the bridge was renovated and reopened in 2009. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Delhi Bridge was built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio. Construction was completed October 12, 1883, replacing a wooden bridge built in 1851. The steel members were manufactured by the Trenton Iron Company and the bridge was assembled with pins instead of rivets; pin technology was discontinued after 1910. The bridge was sited in Delhi Mills, a mill town founded in 1831 which declined significantly in the early twentieth century.
On June 6, 1917, a tornado swept through the town causing significant damage to the bridge, lifting it off its abutments and leaving it collapsed in a twisted heap in the river. However, the abutments were undamaged. Local tradition states that Edward Outwater and Eli Gallup salvaged the bridge from the river using a team of horses. The bridge was rebuilt in 1918 using a significant number of its original trusses, as evidenced by damage apparently due to the tornado. The bridge's portal sign was reused, though the portal webbing had to be replaced. During reconstruction of the bridge, the abutments were also rebuilt.
At some point prior to renovation, the northern abutment was covered or replaced with concrete, whereas the southern abutment was fieldstone and likely original. The Delhi Metropark, created in the 1950s, has contributed to the bridge's popularity as a tourist attraction.
Since the tornado, the bridge had undergone few modifications apart from regular maintenance. In June 2005, an annual inspection identified that the bridge had deteriorated almost to the point of failure. In response, the Washtenaw County Road Commission closed the bridge to vehicular traffic.
...
Wikipedia