National Register of Historic Places

Plattsmouth Bridge

Plattsmouth, Cass County, Nebraska
Listed
April 14, 1993
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
92000755

About this property

The Plattsmouth Bridge is a truss bridge over the Missouri River connecting Cass County, Nebraska, and Mills County, Iowa at Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Until 2014, it carried U.S. Highway 34 across the river. The bridge has seven spans, including the 402-foot (123 m) cantilevered through truss over the river's navigable channel. It is anchored by 201-foot (61 m) through spans, with two 203-foot (62 m) and two 104-foot (32 m) deck trusses over the eastern flood plain. The bridge has clearance of 14 feet 5 inches (4.39 m) and a width of 20 feet (6.1 m). The bridge was built in 1929, replacing a ferry that previously operated at the site. It was designed by the Omaha Structural Steel Works. In November 2006 it was decided to repair the bridge rather than build new bridges. Earlier plans had called for a new $42 million two-lane bridge and bypass of Plattsmouth. The new bridge would have been about 300 feet (91 m) south of the existing one. In November 2007, ownership of the bridge was transferred from the private Plattsmouth Bridge company to the public Plattsmouth Bridge Commission. Between April 21, 2008, and November 9, 2008, the bridge was closed as part of a federally funded bridge restoration. The bridge reopened November 9, 2008. As of 2011, the toll for cars was $1.25. In 2018, the toll for cars was raised to $1.75. In 2014, Highway 34 was rerouted to a new four-lane bridge farther upstream, north of the Platte River and above its junction with the Missouri. Structural repairs were completed in 2018, allowing the weight limit to be increased to 40,000 pounds (20 tons); the toll was increased to $1.75. List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Iowa List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Nebraska Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IA-67, "Plattsmouth Bridge, Spanning Missouri River at U.S. Highway 34, Pacific Junction, Mills County, IA", 11 photos, 3 color transparencies, 17 data pages, 1 photo caption page HAER No. NE-5, "Plattsmouth Bridge, Spanning Missouri River, Plattsmouth vicinity, Cass County, NE", 7 photos, 1 photo caption page

Location

Plattsmouth, Cass County, Nebraska
41.00052, -95.86636

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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Plattsmouth Bridge

This page lists Plattsmouth Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Plattsmouth Bridge report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Pitz, Gottfried Gustav, Barn
Industrial
0.5 mi
Cass County Courthouse
Industrial
1.2 mi
Plattsmouth Main Street Historic District
Listed
1.2 mi
McLaughlin-Waugh-Dovey House
Industrial
1.3 mi
Dovey, George E., House
Industrial
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Plattsmouth Bridge listed on the National Register?

Plattsmouth Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 1993.

What type of historic resource is Plattsmouth Bridge?

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

What is the period of significance for Plattsmouth Bridge?

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

Can I research the history near Plattsmouth 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 Plattsmouth Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Cass County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Cass County.

Explore CassCounty ›

More historic places in Nebraska

Browse all historic places in Nebraska.

View Nebraskahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Nebraska history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Nebraskahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Plattsmouth Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report