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| Name | Abandoned Fivemile Creek Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #19.64 |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | City of Leavenworth |
| Length | 60 Feet |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Brick Lined Stone Arch |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1900 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned) |
| Current Status | Abandoned |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #19E | |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #19.64 | |
| Significance | Local |
| Documentation Date | 9/3/2016 |
In 1887, the Leavenworth, Northern and Southern Railway constructed a 45 mile railroad between Hawthorne, Kansas and Wilder, Kansas. This line would quickly be leased to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, and would be merged to its successor, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1899. The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number of railroad lines
throughout the western United States, particularly in Kansas and
Oklahoma. This line served as a connection to several railroad routes, including connections to ATSF mainlines at Hawthorne and Wilder. As this route paralleled better constructed and more profitable routes, the segment between Leavenworth and Hawthorne would be abandoned in 1960, followed by the remainder of the line in 1989. A short portion was sold to the City of Bonner Springs, and is currently operated by Union Pacific Railroad. The remainder of the line has been abandoned.
Located along Limit Street in Leavenworth, this large brick lined stone arch bridge crosses Fivemile Creek. The previous bridge at this location was likely a timber trestle. In 1900, the present two 30-foot span brick lined stone arch bridge would be constructed. The brick lining of the stone arch was designed to make the arch stronger. Several similar structures were constructed throughout the ATSF system in the late 1890s. Arch bridges such as this were commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable, cost effective and easy to construct. The bridge now sits abandoned, and is owned by the City of Leavenworth. A similar arch over Limit Street west of this bridge was replaced in the 1970s. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition, with deterioration to the stonework throughout the structure. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |