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John Nahrgang who homestead 400 acres off the nine mile road at
the turn of the century, west of Craig took these photos.
Thanks to Robert Williams for sharing them.
The newly redone plans and prints will be given to Paul Spangler and DNRC Floodplain Engineering for review and assessment this month.
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To learn more about the family who helped adopt The Craig Bridge and the former State
Nursery
Nursery Park
Happy New Year
Thanks to everyone who helped out and donated to make 2007 a great year
Were on You Tube.......What the heck is You Tube?
Click here to see the video about the big move
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-JQNkCpjCM
The Creation Arts Center is now open for Classes, drop by the web page and get all
the info
WWW.CREATIONARTSCENTER.COM
New Survey,New Location
The Craig Bridge may locate to a more Eastern placement from an original survey
done last year in the Western Boundary Proposal. Martin Drivdahl has completed the
first of several layouts and elevations for the new placement concept in the Nursery
Park Flood Plane. The Bridge may now cross in a direct North West alignment to the
east overlooking the two remaining historic glass houses. The photos below are of
Martins elevation survey taken last Friday.
~~~~~OPEN PRESS~~~~~
~~~4/2/07~~~
Education
With the legislature in town we have received some great responses from our representatives
who have gone out to the bridges and asked a simple question, How can an old bridge help
educate. The answer is held within the transportation and building history of Montana. Our
group wants to help educate the public on how over a century ago, men and machines came
together to build a future for our state. Architecture and Engineering are at the core of
understanding how a society expresses itself. We are going to have open classes on these
topics including how a century old bridge will be rebuilt over the historic flood plane. We will
have engineering demonstrations of the 100 year flood and how it affects the Ten Mile Corridor
and down stream flood zones. Though sounding dull we will make this a fun and a hands on
project with models and actual "micro flood" demonstrations. Repairing the old bridge will bring
education on Hot Riveting, Concrete Abutments, decking and Pier Construction. Riveting, a lost
art of its own in the age of welding is a class not to miss. The Craig bridge is the first of several
structures to be moved and preserved at the Nursery park. Bridgework's goal is to work with the
public in its efforts to save architectural history. Future assistance projects include a large gold
dredge, two more steel bridges as well as a steam locomotive rusting away in a field outside
Billings. Future generations can only truly appreciate the accomplishments of our past, if we do
all we can to preserve it now. We are at a special time, the willingness to save our history is
supported by whole groups instead of just the individual. We believe you can accomplish great
things with a support structures like that.
~~~2/8/07~~~
County Commission names new bridge in Craig
Lewis and Clark County commissioners signed a proclamation Tuesday naming the new $3.5
million bridge over the Missouri River in Craig after Forrest Howard Anderson, one of Helena's
foremost political stars.
Article by Martin Kidston
~~~1/4/07~~~
Hometown Helena weighs in on Craig Bridge.
Ron Mercer,Co-Chair of this local civic group wrote in his
Hometown Helena mailer...
"I wonder if there is really a plan for the old bridge that is parked along the
highway west of town."
Ron goes on to say
"Seems to me that there should be a bond required to insure whatever is
donated to a citizen will be put to use within a reasonable time frame."
In a boilerplate response to
questions regarding his mailer Ron responded
"Lots of people are starting to complain about the bridge just sitting there
for several months."
We at the Bridgework's are not quite sure what Ron is talking about. Our plans are in full
gear and we are moving forward with fantastic community support and encouragement.
We have made substantial progress since the move nine months ago. Not all progress
will be linked to the physical movement of the bridge. We have lots of engineering work
yet to complete. In October 2006 Martin Drivdahl, one of Montana's most experienced
bridge engineers came on board the Bridgework's team and generously offered his
skills to the work ahead. We have to engineer and incorporate the bridge into the flood
plane, the importance of proper placement for a bridge that will stand for another century
can not be rushed for any reason.
Ron would like to see a bond created by MDT to ensure the progress of the
incorporation of a historic structure. This is not how things are done in the historic
adoption process, as undue pressure to complete a project at the risk of safety is not a
fundamental of good construction. The state, MDT and conservation groups know the
difficulty of staging a bridge that was taken down and moved more than 50 miles to a
new home.
We at the bridgework's have received over 600 email's since the move, filled with
genuine curiosity and thanks for keeping the grey giant from the scrap pile. None of
these letters have ever been negative. How "complaints" go directly to Ron Mercer of
the Helena Regional Airport and not to the group storing, preserving and building the
bridge is completely baffling to me.
These bridges are very important to our county and state history and they are certainly
not causing anyone any real strife.
Scott Nelson
Director Bridgework's
1/10/07
~~~~~~Photo Update~~~~~~
Check out
~Craig Bridge 3~
Thank you all for sending us in your shots.
Keep them coming!
~If you have photos you would like to contribute please send them along~
Scott@bridgeconservancy.org
If you would like to donate to our efforts contact us
12/12/06
~~~~~East Helena Gets The Vote~~~~~
~WILLIAMS STREET~
The city of East Helena won the vote from the Department of
Transportation this month regarding the future home of the
Williams Street Bridge.
The DOT Adopt A Bridge Campaign that served as the program to
save the Craig Bridge has successfully Negotiated a deal with the
city of East Helena to place the bridge over Pacific Street. East
Helena will move the bridge some time in 2007 to the former site of
the Pacific Street Bridge in East Helena just North off the Highway.
~~~CRAIG BRIDGE~~~
I want to take this time to thank everyone who was involved directly or indirectly in
the difficult process of saving the Craig Bridge. All of Montana came together for this
and when the wheels hit the pavement it was like watching a symphony of construction
and effort take form.
To the Tamietti family and crew, I will forever be indebted to you for making this dream come true,
for having the faith when none was to be had and for showing us all the definition of the “Butte can do it”
attitude that has truly set you apart. Come visit the Tamietti crew at
www.tamiettihousemoving.net
To the Department of Transportation, thank you for all the last minute meetings, answering every
call and for helping people like us preserve our heritage through your adoption programs.
To the crews of Northwest Energy, you were the war drums of a massive marching campaign. Your
efforts constantly keeping the colossus moving foreword, scrambling ahead so successfully to keep the
beat.
To Bresnan and Qwest crews, your days were as long and as difficult as every ones in this
campaign. I will never think of how TV and Phone services get into the community the same way again.
Thank You.
Thank you to the Sheriff and Police departments, your support was crucial for the safe and orderly
transport of such a large structure through our county and city roads.
Thank you all in the City and County departments who worked with us to save this historic structure.
Please visit the Lewis and Clark County HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ,
www.co.lewis-clark.mt.us/history/historic_preservation.php
www.preservemontana.org/index.html
 | The Bridgeworks Conservancy is a Non Profit organization | |
| dedicated to education through Historic Preservation. |
| We are a Helena based Non Profit concerned about the future of | |
| our local bridges and historic structures. |
| We work with others in the field of Preservation and encourage | |
| others to go the extra mile for history. |
scott@bridgeconservancy.org
most any time. When the Bridge is restored, we hope to have the plates reproduced and placed back on the South end of the structure. Our plans are to have
the originals on display in the new Bridge Building being renovated now. Center is a shot of the brick Bridge Building under renovation, as you can see is needs
ALLOT of work but we love conservation, this building served as among other things, offices, the planter shed and storage for the Nursery from the 1890s
through to the end of the 1990s, a century old and with enough care is will last another century.
Craig Bridge Helena Montana
Project Engineer: Martin Drivdahl
Supplementary Information
This packet is to assist in initial determination of the process of re-erecting the Craig Bridge.
The stats of the bridge are as follows.
Length: Measured with one piece steel contractor tape
Section A, current western, Historic Center of Craig Bridge (136 feet, 6¼ inch) Approx. 22 Ton
Section B, current center, Historic Sterling Ranch side of Craig Bridge (136 feet, 6 ¼ inch) Approx. 22 Ton
Section C, current eastern, Historic Craig side of Craig Bridge (136 feet, 6 ¼ inch) Approx. 22 Ton
Overall Length: Sections A,B,C, (409 feet 6 ¾ inch) Approx. 66 Ton
Width: Measured with one piece steel contractor tape
Section A, current western, (18 feet, 1 ½ inch)
Section B, current center, (18 feet, 1 ¼ inch)
Section C, current eastern, (18 feet, 1 ½ inch)
Height: Measured with one piece steel contractor tape
Section A, (23 feet)
Section B, (23 feet)
Section C, (23 feet)
These physical measurements were compared to ones done by the Department of Transportation prior to their removal from
piers in 2005. The measurements are accurate to within ¼ inch
protrudes (7inches) centered in the back of each attachment plate, this “tong” is (6 inches) wide and has a (1 ½ inch hole)
through the center. The photo represents one of eight attachment plates on the three bridges.
beam (5 ½ inches wide, 15 inches tall and 18 feet 1 ½ inches long).
Each stringer is then (19 feet 5 inches) on center apart from one another.
scott@bridgeconservancy.org
If you have any comments please send them along.