National Register of Historic Places

Bryan Bridge

Valentine, Cherry County, Nebraska
Listed
June 22, 1988
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
88000912

About this property

The Bryan Bridge was constructed to carry U.S. Route 20 over the Niobrara River in Cherry County, Nebraska, near Valentine. It was built in 1932 and is a pin-connected arch bridge that is designated "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge" in its year, out of bridges costing less than $250,000, by the American Institute of Steel Construction. It is named after then-sitting Nebraska governor Charles W. Bryan. According to its NRHP nomination, it is significant "in the area of structural engineering on a state level as an excellent and well-preserved example of a pin-connected cantilever arch bridge. It is the only one of its kind in Nebraska." The NRHP nominator interviewed its designer, Josef Sorkin of the state's Division of Bridge Design, on why he chose this type of design, and reported that he replied "aesthetics, it blended into the surroundings and it was also an economical design for the site." Cantilever arch structures, which have been infrequently used nationwide, were constructed in the mid 1920s to mid 1930s. The cantilever type of truss bridge permitted longer spans and was typically used for spanning major rivers." National Register designation was given in 1988. It is also designated as NeHBS #CE00-28. In 1995, the bridge was designated as a State Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. U.S. Route 20 now crosses the Niobrara River about 2,000 feet (610 m) to the north.

Location

Valentine, Cherry County, Nebraska
42.83223, -100.52833

Categories

ENGINEERING
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

Borman Bridge
Industrial
1.4 mi
Valentine Public School
Industrial
3.1 mi
US Post Office-Valentine
Industrial
3.2 mi
Cherry County Courthouse
Listed
3.2 mi
Walcott, F. M., House
Industrial
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bryan Bridge listed on the National Register?

Bryan Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Bryan Bridge?

Bryan Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bryan Bridge?

The period of significance for Bryan Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Bryan Bridge?

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