Michigan's oldest iron truss bridge, the 6th Street Bridge was made in 1886 by the Massillon Bridge Company. It has a 535 foot span and is made of wrought iron. One of the trusses on the west bank has been shortened and you can see the additional support that was added when the modification was done. Under the bridge you can see the original brick mortared pilings which have been buttressed by modern concrete. The original ornate guardrails are still there for the wooden sidewalk. If you get a chance take a walk across the spans and check out the construction details.
more information here.
Click on the pic for the larger view. Pics were taken by my lovely wife:
I enjoy walking across the bridge, examining the details like the 'Carnegie' stamped on the steel and other little touches that only an artist would have added. It reminds me of simpler times and I wonder how many times my great-grandfather drove over this bridge. He had one of the first cars in Grand Rapids and must have been over this span several times. I still wonder if two late 70s Cadillacs could actually squeeze past each other. Well I don't think I'll be doing that experiment any time soon.
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