Sixth Street Bridge
About this property
The Sixth Street Bridge is a four-span, wrought iron bridge that crosses the Grand River in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is a Michigan State Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1886, it is the longest and oldest metal truss bridge in Michigan. The Sixth Street Bridge was designed and built in 1886 by the Ohio-based Massillon Bridge Company for $31,000. The westernmost truss was shortened in 1921 when a canal along the river bank was filled in. The bridge faced demolition in 1975, but was saved through the efforts of concerned citizens. The following year, the bridge was designated a Michigan State Historic Site (MSHS), and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An MSHS informational marker was erected in 1981. The bridge is also listed on MDOT's Historic Bridge Inventory. In 2009, the bridge was briefly closed to film scenes of Caught in the Crossfire. The bridge underwent significant renovation in 2012, funded with a $1.8 million federal grant and $472,000 from the Downtown Development Authority. The bridge is 536 feet (163 m) in length, consisting of four parallel cord through Pratt trusses made of wrought iron. The roadway is narrow at 19 feet (5.8 m) wide with two lanes. Along each side is a 6-foot-wide (1.8 m) sidewalk with ornamental railings. The piers and abutments are masonry and built of local Grand River limestone. The Sixth Street Bridge is the longest and oldest metal truss bridge in Michigan. List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan National Register of Historic Places listings in Kent County, Michigan List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Kent County, Michigan Images of the bridge undergoing renovation with the roadway removed "Why a Bridge?" (March 22, 1976). The Grand Rapids Press. p. 8. "U.S. Names Sixth Street Bridge Historic Site, Eligible for Grants" (Aug. 24, 1976). The Grand Rapids Press. p. 1. DeMaagd, Pete (June 3, 1981). "Seeing Red: Sixth Street Bridge All Set for Reopening". The Grand Rapids Press. p. 66. Roelofs, Ted (June 6, 1981). "Raspberry-Red Span Wins Crowd Plaudits". The Grand Rapids Press. p. 4. Vande Bunte, Matt (March 3, 2012). "Sixth Street Bridge work scheduled, Grand River crossing to close for 3 months." The Grand Rapids Press.
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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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Questions about this property
When was Sixth Street Bridge listed on the National Register?
Sixth Street Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1976.
What type of historic resource is Sixth Street Bridge?
Sixth Street Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Sixth Street Bridge?
The period of significance for Sixth Street Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Sixth Street Bridge?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Sixth Street Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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