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| Name | Flint Hills Nature Trail - Marais Des Cygnes River Bridge |
| Built By | Missouri Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Franklin County |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 334 Feet Total, 150 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Warren Through Truss, Through Plate Girder and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1903, East Approach Reconstructed c. 1950 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Trail Traffic |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/28/2017 |
In 1879, the St. Louis, Kansas and Arizona Railway (StLK&A) would construct a 21 mile branch, extending from Osawatomie, Kansas to Ottawa, Kansas. In 1880, the railroad was consolidated into the Missouri Pacific Railway (MP). In 1886, the Council Grove, Osage City & Ottawa Railway (CGOC&O) constructed an additional 70 miles to Council Grove, Kansas. At the same time, the Topeka, Salina and Western Railroad (TS&W) constructed an additional 71 miles to Salina, Kansas. In 1887, the Kansas & Colorado Railroad (K&C) completed an additional 126 miles to Ness County, the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railway (DM&A) completed 139 additional miles to the Colorado State Line, and the Pueblo and State Line Railroad (P&SL) constructed an additional 152 miles to Pueblo, Colorado. The CGOC&O, TS&W, K&C and DM&A were all consolidated to form the Kansas and Colorado Pacific Railway (K&CP), which would be consolidated with the P&SL and merged into the MP in 1909. MP had amassed a large collection of railroad lines, particularly in Missouri and Kansas. This line served as a secondary mainline, serving agricultural industries in Kansas and Colorado. The railroad reorganized to the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1917. The MP was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad in 1982. A portion of the line from Geneseo, Kansas to Towner, Colorado was sold to the Kansas Southwestern Railway (KSW) in 1991. A segment of the line between Geneseo and Hope, Kansas was abandoned the same year. In 1994, the segment from Herington, Kansas to Osawatomie, Kansas was abandoned, and acquired for future trail use. The Pueblo to Towner segment was sold to the State of Colorado, which is currently operated by the Colorado Pacific Railway. The KSW was merged into the Central Kansas Railway in 2000, which was acquired by the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad in 2001. The K&O continues to operate the Geneseo to Towner segment of this line. Union Pacific operates the Herington to Hope segment, as well as a short segment in Salina. The Osawatomie to Herington segment is currently being converted to the Flint Hills Nature Trail, with some portions of the trail now open.
Located on the west side of Ottawa, this through truss bridge carries the Flint Hills Nature Trail across the Marais des Cygnes River. The previous bridge at this location was likely a timber truss bridge. In 1903, a 150-foot 6-panel riveted Warren through truss span would be constructed to replace the old bridge. In addition, two standard 75-foot through plate girder spans were installed on the west side of the truss, and a trestle approach constructed on the east end. The bridge would be set onto new concrete piers. In approximately 1950, the east approach of the bridge would be reconstructed with a concrete slab span. The truss span utilizes design features typical for Missouri Pacific bridges of this era, including riveted connections, heavy laced members and an X-frame portal. The through girder spans are typical Missouri Pacific spans, utilizing rounded edges. The bridge was rehabilitated with a new deck and concrete repairs to the substructures when it was converted to trail use. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Build date | Historic newspaper articles |
| Builder | Missing American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |