National Register of Historic Places

American Legion Memorial Bridge

Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Listed
January 7, 2000
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
99001650

About this property

The American Legion Memorial Bridge, also known as the South Cass Street Bridge, is a reinforced concrete arch bridge carrying South Cass Street over the Boardman River in Traverse City, Michigan. It was completed in 1930 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. In 1929 the city commission called for a public referendum to decide if the city should build bridges over the Boardman River at South Union and South Cass Streets. The referendum passed, and at the same time the state agreed to build the Union Street Bridge. The city commission hired Indianapolis bridge engineer Daniel B. Luten to design the bridge at South Cass. The firms of Aldrich & Cook and Jerome Wilhelm were hired to build the bridge, which was completed in 1930. Dedication plaques were purchased during construction at the request of the American Legion. At some point, the original handrails were removed and jersey barricades were added, detracting somewhat from the original design. However, the bridge is still in use. In 2021/22, the bridge underwent extensive renovation, including a removal and replacement of the bridge and the installation of a decorative pedestrian railing. The American Legion Memorial Bridge is 68 feet (21 m) long and 58.5 feet (17.8 m) wide, with a roadway width of 40 feet (12 m). The span is formed by a barrel-vaulted elliptical arch. Sidewalks, supported by concrete brackets, overhang the face of the arch. The original balustrade railings on the bridge have been replaced with planks, but the approaches still contain the original solid-concrete parapets and concrete balustrades with urn-shaped spindles. A plate on one parapet reads: "American Legion Memorial Bridge 1930." Information on the American Legion Memorial Bridge (Michigan Web Site) South Cass Street Bridge from HistoricBridges.org: multiple photographs.

Location

Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan
44.76137, -85.62095

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORYENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

South Union Street-Boardman River Bridge
Civil War
0.1 mi
City Opera House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Hannah, Perry, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Boardman Neighborhood Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
Central Neighborhood Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was American Legion Memorial Bridge listed on the National Register?

American Legion Memorial Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 7, 2000.

What type of historic resource is American Legion Memorial Bridge?

American Legion Memorial Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for American Legion Memorial Bridge?

The period of significance for American Legion Memorial Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near American Legion Memorial Bridge?

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