Kingston Ford Bridge | Abandoned

 

Kingston Ford Bridge in 2021, taken by Jennie Moore

     Hello everyone, and welcome back to the blog! I am so eager to be writing again, and cannot thank you all enough for your patience during my little hiatus. During this time, I have been working hard to better the blog, and form my future plans for it. I am looking forward to bringing my readers higher quality, and more consistent content. I truly hope you enjoy what is to come, as I couldn't do any of this without your support. Each of you help form the backbone of The Diary of Jukebox Jennie. Thank you for fueling my dreams. With that being said, let's get into today's article!

     This is article is the first installment of a new series on the blog, called "Abandoned"! In this series I will share my favorite, and most interesting abandoned locations. When brainstorming ideas for this series, I stumbled across the Kingston Ford Bridge, and knew I had to write on it. 

     The Kingston Ford Bridge is located on the Washington and Jefferson County line in Missouri, bordering Washington State Park. Although left to mother nature now, this bridge has lived a heroic life. Being built in 1885-86 at Lemay Ferry by the St. Louis Bridge and Iron Co., it was moved to it's present day location in 1917. It served it's people for 112 years, making it one of the longest continually used bridges in the state. It carried car after car over Big River, until 1998, when the Missouri Department of Transportation deemed the structure unfit for further service.

     This type of bridge is called a closed truss. This particular bridge is a pin-connected, 8-panel Pratt through truss. Intact bridges of this era and style are constantly dwindling, with more being demolished all the time. Upon seeing one of this age still standing, I immediately planned my trip. The Kingston Ford Bridge was actually one of a pair, with another of it's kind crossing a nearby creek on the Jefferson County side. This second bridge was called the Kingston Slough Bridge, but no longer exists today. 

Kingston Ford Bridge in 2021, taken by Jennie Moore

      

     In the photo above, you are viewing the deck of the bridge in October of 2021. From what I observed, my guess is that the bridge was never paved, and kept it's wood plank deck until it's closure. Today, the deck is heavily deteriorated. Where the shade casts over the wood most of the time, the locked-in moisture has created the perfect environment for a thriving ecosystem. Grass, moss, and other plant life grows on the planks, as bugs and other small animals feed and burrow. You can easily see where these spots are, as the wood has decomposed the most, with some planks missing all together. 

     The rusted metal has a burnt orange color, which the sunset complimented beautifully. The thin rails that line the length of the bridge have become wavy over time, and the overall structure has gained a slight tilt. However when reflecting on the fact that this bridge was first assembled 136 years ago, and has been left untouched for 23, volumes are spoken about the craftmanship of the St. Louis Bridge and Iron Co. They used the best of workers, designers, and materials to create a structure that after a century of wear and tear, and decades of abandonment, still stands today. 

Abandoned cabin just before bridge, taken by Jennie Moore

     The road that once passed over the Kingston Ford Bridge was a well used one, seeing much traffic as the area was being developed by settlers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As we walked along the former road within Washington State Park, my father noticed an old cabin in the valley below. It appears to me very old, abandoned, and not one of the park's rentals. I of course had to stop and take a few snapshots of it.

     On the other side of the bridge, present day Big River Heights Road, there are more signs of a historic past. Immediately after crossing, lies a former park, (now privately owned) with a sign reading that it was established in 1907. The equipment and pavilion still rest as if paused in time, like it's large iron truss neighbor. I can't help but imagine the children playing, as they watched the cars cross over the river. 

     As I draw this article to a close, I would like to remind fellow curious minds that I take photos as a part of my living, and take safety and respect very seriously. If you would like to visit the Kingston Ford Bridge, I hope you will consider my suggestions. 

     First, the access point of the bridge is crucial. I ask that you approach the bridge from within Washington State Park, and not Big River Heights Road. This is because if accessed by Big River Heights Road, it would require you to trespass, which I do not condone. We only came this way as a first attempt, as I was going off of maps to try to reach the bridge, and chose the Big River Heights Road side due to it having better road channels. Though upon arrival, found that the property surrounding the bridge, is private. There are several "No Trespassing" signs on the property, including around the former park mentioned earlier. We then found our access point on the other side, off of Dug Out Road in Washington State Park. It is legal to access the bridge from here, and rather easy as well. 

     Secondly, it is important to note that the bridge is no longer structurally sound. It is critical that you do not venture out onto the bridge. You may walk to the metal barricade, but I plead that you do not cross it. You will be able to get good photos from behind the barricade, and even the best photos are not worth risking major injury, or even your life.

     Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed! I would love to hear your feedback on the new series, along with your suggestions on places you would like me to photograph and write about. 

Until next time,

Jennie