Van Metre Bridge

On List Of National Register Of Historic Places.

Location: Local road over Bad River, Van Metre, South Dakota. Topo Map

Description: The Van Metre Bridge carries a local road over the Bad River.  The 100 foot main span sits on two concrete-filled steel cylindrical piers connected by I-beams at top and bottom with steel bar cross-bracing at each end.  In addition to the main span, the bridge has three approach spans.  The two southeast timber stringer spans sit on a wood pile bent and a wood pile abutment with plank back walls and wing walls.  The northwest approach span abutment is the same.  The main span is comprised as follows: the upper chords consist of two steel channel sections riveted with a continuous steel cover plate along their upper flanges and with lacing bars riveted along their lower flanges; the lower chords and diagonals consist of paired, forged steel eye bars; the two center panels have counters of round steel bars with turn-buckles; the verticals, with the exception of the hip verticals, consist of two steel channel sections with lacing bars riveted to the flanges; the hip verticals consist of paired, forged square steel rods.  The deck is composed of wood planks nailed to wood stringers which rest on I-beam floor beams.  The floor beams are riveted to the inner flanges of the vertical members.  The portal bracing consists of paired, riveted angle sections, the sway bracing consists of two pairs of angle sections riveted with lacing bars.  Top and bottom lateral bracing consists of round rod cross bracing.  The railings are two cables.

The bridge retains excellent integrity.

Significance: Bridge no. 38-133-014 is being nominated to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the "Historic Bridges in South Dakota" Multiple Property Nomination.  It is related to the historic context of "Historic Bridges of South Dakota, 1893-1943" and is classified with the associated property type for iron and steel frame bridges.  This bridge is individually eligible for the National Register under Criterion C as the oldest surviving bridge in Jones County.  The bridge retains excellent.

Built by the Iowa Bridge Company of Des Moines in 1908, this pin connected Pratt through truss is the oldest surviving bridge in Jones County.

Bibliography

Wayne Rosby, interview with Jones County Superintendent of Highways.

Maker's plaque on bridge.

Copy of the National Register Of Historic Places Registration Form. Prepared by:
Jennifer Traeger / Historian and Wayne Rosby / Engineer, dated August 1990/9-93

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