This bridge crosses Marlowe Creek on County Road 287. It was built of a relocated truss brought in from Chillicothe, Iowa.
At the original location, this truss was part of a dual trussed bridge crossing South Avery Creek near Chillicothe
In 1897, that truss bridge would be replaced with a pair of deck girder spans. The two trusses would be separated and reused on branch lines.
One of the two trusses found its way onto this branch line; where it still exists. This style design was common along the CB&Q mainline throughout Iowa, and many ended up in this area.
The main span of this bridge is a 4-panel pin connected Pratt Through Truss. It has a decorative portal, signifying the old age of the structure.
In addition, the bridge sits on wooden substructures and is approached by trestle spans on either side.
Despite the detailed history uncovered by both historic articles and the Missouri Historic Bridge Inventory; the bridge was built by an unknown contractor.
Today, the bridge remains in good condition and carries a county road across Marlowe Creek. It is considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Furthermore, this bridge is one of the few known trusses relocated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. It is unknown where the other span from Chillicothe ended up.
The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the uncommon nature of a 4-panel through truss, the detailed history and the great historic integrity shown in this structure.
The photo above is an overview, looking north. The historic photos are from the Railway and Engineering Review, July of 1897. These photos have been released into public domain.
To read about the replacement process, check out this article.