| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the State Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation.
In photo and/or map codes, (B) stands for Bridge Survey. Negatives filed with survey project.
Statement of Significance:
Located on Mayer Lane off South Wisconsin Street in the Port Washington harbor, the bridge spans the mouth of Sauk Creek in a north-south direction. Resting on concrete abutments, which also serve as retaining walls, it is a metal pony truss and wood decking and curbs. Although formerly open to vehicular traffic, it is now strictly a pedestrian crossing. Its date of constrction is unknown. According to the city engineer, the bridge was moved to its present site in "the late 1920s or early 1930s" from its original location over a small stream on Lake Street about 1 mile to the north (A). The king-post, however, may have arrived at its present location somewhat earlier. In August 1924, the "normally docile little Sauk Creek...rampaged through Port Washington," destroying the city's major bridges and wreaking havoc in the harbor area (B). It seems reasonable to surmise that the bridge was relocated to the harbor shortly after the flood to replace a washed-out structure. If such were the case, it might explain the 1925 construction date listed for the structure in the WisDOT bridge files.
Technical Data:
Bridge Category: Metal pony truss.
Span Number/Type: 1 king-post (40' 6").
Connection Type: Riveted and bolted.
Substructure: Concrete abutments/retaining walls.
Overall Width x Overall Lenght: 42' 3" x 12' 5"
Inclined Endposts/Upper Chord: L0-U1-L2: Double upright channels (6 1/2" x 2 1/8") tied with cover plate(10" x 3/8:) and V-lacing.
Lower Chord: L0-L2: double angles (3" x 4") tied with batten plates at mid-panel.
Verticals: L1-U1: back-to-back angles (3" x 4") forming a "Z" section; lower end of verticals are bolted to a tie plate, which is riveted to the floor beam.
Floor System: Wood decking on rolled I-beam stringers and rolled I-beam floor beam.
Bracing: Side bracing, back-to-back angles at point L1
Bearings: North end, fixed; south end; slide-plate expansion bearings.
Statement of Significance:
The Sauk Creek Bridge is a king-post truss which is rare in Wisconsin, with only three examples remaining. With a history extending back to the Middle Ages, the timber king-post is generally considered to be the most ancient of truss configurations. In 1916, Hans Nelson Brue noted that the type was "Quite common (in Wisconsin) with spans ranging to thirty feet" (C). At present, only one timber, king-post bridge is known to survive in the state. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was built near LaCrosse in 1920 by the Clinton Bridge Company of Clinton, Iowa (D). Two vernacular, wood-and-metal king-post truss bridges, both built in Portwing in the early 1950s, have also been identified (E). The Sauk Creek Bridge, however, is unique for its all-metal, king-post construction.
This small steel bridge was moved to its present location over Sauk Creek in 1925. Its original location is unknown, but it was likely constructed during the first two decades of the twentieth century. A pedestrian purpose-built bridge, it is the only remaining metal kingpost truss bridge in Wisconsin as identified in 1987 for its unique engineering. The bridge was refurbished in 2008 and all of its wooden components were replaced. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. Barbara E. Hightower, Interview with Robert Dreblow, Port Washington City Engineer, October 30, 1986.
B. "Port Washington, 1835 to 1985." Port Washington: Port Publications, 1985, p. 250.
C. Brue, Hans Nelson. "The Development of Highway Bridges in Wisconsin." Civil Engineering Thesis, University of Wisconsin, 1916, unpublished, p. 5.
D. Brown, George C. National Register Nomination for Van Loom Wildlife Area Truss Bridge Group, unpublished, October 1979, Heritage Preservation Division, State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
E. Intensive survey forms for P-4-43 and P-4-44.
F. Turss Bridge Intensive Survey Form, was WisDOT Jeffrey A. Hess, November 1986.
PORT WASHINGTON OZAUKEE PRESS 9/12/1996.
PORT WASHINGTON OZAUKEE PRESS 7/4/1996. Port Washington Ozaukee Press 9/11/1997. |
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