The Mears Memorial Bridge is a

truss bridge A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements, typically straight, may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

on the

Alaska Railroad The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad that operates freight and passenger trains in the state of Alaska. The railroad's mainline runs between Seward, Alaska, Seward on the southern coast and Fairbanks, Alaska, Fairbanks, near the center of ...

, completed in 1923. The bridge spans the

Tanana River The Tanana River (Lower Tanana language, Lower Tanana: Tth'eetoo', Upper Tanana language, Upper Tanana: ''Tth’iitu’ Niign'') is a tributary of the Yukon River in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to linguist and anthropologist William Brig ...

at Nenana and at , it is among the largest simple truss-type bridges in the world.

History

The bridge's namesake, Colonel Frederick Mears, was chairman and chief engineer of the Alaska Engineering Commission, the railroad's builder and original operator. The bridge was the final link in the railroad, entering service in February 1923, a year after the rest of the line was finished. The AEC hired the Chicago firm of Ralph Modjeski and Angier to design the bridge, and the

American Bridge Company The American Bridge Company is a heavy/civil construction firm that specializes in building and renovating bridges and other large, complex structures. Founded in 1900, the company is headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsb ...

to fabricate and erect it. When completed, this Pennsylvania through-truss bridge was the longest truss span in the United States and its territories. This bridge still ranks as the longest span of any kind in Alaska. it was then the third-longest simple truss bridge in North America. President

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...

, becoming the first president to visit Alaska, traveled to the state to drive the ceremonial last spike at the north end of the bridge on July 15, 1923. It was one of Harding's last public appearances, as he died 18 days later during his ongoing western tour.

References

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External links

Construction photos by designer Walter Angier

Recent photos at Bridgehunter.com
1923 establishments in Alaska Alaska Railroad Bridges completed in 1923 Bridges in Unorganized Borough, Alaska Buildings and structures in Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska Railroad bridges in Alaska Steel bridges in the United States Truss bridges in the United States Pennsylvania truss bridges in the United States Tanana Athabaskans

History

See also

References

External links