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| Name | Old Katy Bridge MKT Lyon Creek Bridge |
| Built By | Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Geary County |
| Superstructure Contractor | Pencoyd Bridge & Construction Company of Pencoyd, Pennsylvania |
| Length | 140 Feet Total, 129 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track (15 Feet) |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Pratt Through Truss and Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1895 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Automobile Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Automobile Traffic |
| Significance | Regional Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/4/2017 |
In 1870, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company (MKT) constructed a 183 mile railroad line, connecting Junction City, Kansas with Chetopa, Kansas. The MKT continued to expand into Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri during the 1870s and 1880s, eventually becoming a relatively large system in the southern Great Plains States. The line connected to Parsons, which would become one of the major junction points for the railroad. The route to Junction City served as a branch line, connecting an important military installment at Fort Riley with the rest of the system. The MKT continued to expand during the 1870s and 1880s, building a sizable system in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. In 1923, the MKT reorganized as the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. As this was a branch line, the railroad was abandoned from Junction City to Humboldt in 1957. In 1969, additional trackage was abandoned between Chanute and Humboldt. An additional segment between Parsons and Chanute would be abandoned in 1987. In 1988, the MKT was merged into Union Pacific Railroad. Today, Union Pacific continues to operate the Parsons to Chetopa segment as a part of the Cherokee Subdivision.
View the National Register of Historic Places nomination for this bridge
Located south of Junction City, this historic through truss bridge carries Otter Creek Road over Lyon Creek. This bridge is the second bridge at this location, likely replacing a timber truss bridge. The bridge was originally constructed in 1895 by the Pencoyd Bridge & Construction Company, which built numerous bridges for the MKT. The bridge consists of a single 129-foot pin-connected 6-panel Pratt through truss span. An 11-foot timber stringer span approaches the north side of the bridge. In 1908, the original stone pier on the north side was capped with concrete and a new abutment constructed, and the south abutment was rebuilt with concrete in 1913. The truss span utilizes a lightweight design, with lattice style portal bracings and lightweight members. The line here was abandoned in the late 1950s, and the bridge sat abandoned until 1974, when it was converted to roadway use to replace a bridge to the east destroyed by flooding. This style of truss was the most commonly used by railroads during the late 19th Century, as it provided an easy to construct bridge for short to medium length spans. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. A wooden deck was added to the bridge when it was converted to roadway use. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the older truss and reuse for a roadway.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Pencoyd Bridge & Construction Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |