Home > California > Smartville vicinity > Parks Bar Bridge, Spanning Yuba River at State Highway 20, Smartville, Yuba County, CA
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Item Title
Parks Bar Bridge, Spanning Yuba River at State Highway 20, Smartville, Yuba County, CA
LocationSpanning Yuba River at State Highway 20,
Smartville vicinity, CA
Find maps of Smartville, CA
Created/Published
Documentation compiled after 1968.
Notes
Survey number HAER CA-132
Significance: The Parks Bar Bridge is significant under Criterion C, as a distinctive example of an unusual method of construction. It is one of the earliest and largest remaining examples of the Thomas System of pre-cast, reinforced concrete, three-hinged arch bridges. This early 20th-century design and method of bridge construction was patented by William M. Thomas during his association with W.S. Post in their Los Angeles engineering firm of Thomas and Post. This is the sixth of approximately seventeen Thomas System bridges built in California, and one of only three remaining. The bridge was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Subjects
Bridges
Collection
Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress)
Contents
Photograph caption(s):
1. Contextual aerial view of bridge in setting, from upstream, view to northwest.
2. Contextual aerial view of bridge in setting, from upstream, view to west.
3. Contextual aerial view of bridge in setting, from downstream, view to northeast.
4. Contextual aerial view of bridge in setting, from downstream, view to southeast.
5. Contextual view of bridge in setting, from upstream, view to west-northwest.
6. Contextual view of bridge in setting, from downstream, view to east.
7. Upstream elevation, view to west.
8. Oblique view of upstream elevation, view to west-northwest.
9. Oblique view of upstream elevation, view to northwest
10. Oblique view of upstream elevation from stream level, view to northwest.
12. Downstream elevation, view to east-northeast.
13. Downstream elevation, view to east-northeast.
14. North approach, view to south.
15. South approach, view to north.
16. Understructure, south abutment, approach span columns and floor beams, deck soffit; view to south.
17. Understructure, view from south abutment showing sway bracing in foreground, columns, floor beams, deck soffit; view to north.
18. Understructure, view of south arch abutment showing arch ribs, columns, sway bracing, floor beams, deck cantilever, railing; view to southwest.
19. Detail, center hinge of south span arches, transverse floor beams, deck cantilever, railings; view to northwest.
20. Detail, Pier 3, with large stone riprap showing depth of scour which has taken place since bridge was completed; view to northwest.
21. Detail, railing, curbs and scuppers; view to northwest at south abutment.
22. 'General Drawing Of Proposed Three Hinged Arch Bridge At Parks Bar Crossing Over The Yuba River, Yuba County Cal., Thomas System, Thomas & Post, Consulting Engrs, Hibernian Building, Los Angeles, Aug. 3, 1912.'
23. 'General Drawing Of Proposed Three Hinged Arch Bridge At Parks Bar Crossing Over The Yuba River, Yuba County Cal., Thomas System, Thomas & Post, Consulting Engrs, Hibernian Building, Los Angeles, Oct. 18, 1912,' and marked 'Revised Oct. 22, 1912.'
24. 'Plan and Profile of Layout, Parks Bar Bridge, V.W. Willits, Asst. Eng., Oct. 4, 1912, Thomas and Post, Consulting Engineers, Hibernian Building, Los Angeles.'
25. 'Details--Transverse Sections For Three Hinged Arch Bridge Over Yuba River At Parks Bar, Thomas System, Thomas And Post-- Consulting Engineers--Los Angeles.' Revised plans, but date of revision not legible.
26. 'Longitudinal Section At One Side Of Central Beam,' dated 1912.
27. 'Details Of Crown And Abutment Hinges For Three Hinged Arch Bridge Over Yuba River, Thomas System, Thomas And Post, Engineers, Hibernian Bldg., Los Angeles,' marked 'Revised [Oct.?] 22, 1912.'
28. 'Details Of Abutments For Three Hinged Arch Bridge Over Yuba River, Thomas System, Thomas And Post, Engineers, Hibernian Bldg., Los Angeles,' dated March 31, 1913.
29. 'Details Of Piers For Three Hinged Arch Bridge Over Yuba River, Thomas Systems, Thomas and Post, Cons..., Los Angele[s], Revised Oct. 22, 1912.'
30. 'Details Of Caisson For Piers For Three Hinged Arch Bridge Over Yuba River, Thomas System, Thomas And Post, Engineers, Hibernian Bldg., Los Angeles, Revised Oct. 22, 1912.'
31. 'Details For Three Hinged Arch Bridge Over Yuba [River], Thomas System, Thomas And Post--Consulting Engineers, Hibernian Bldg., Los Angeles, Revised Oct. 22, 1912.'
32. Preliminary work, with old suspension bridge in middle ground, looking downstream, view to west.
33. Steam-powered pile driver working on footings for Pier 3, with south abutment visible at right; view to south.
35. Caisson for Pier 2 at center, with pile driver working on Pier 1; view to north-northeast.
36. North arch abutment, view to northeast.
38. Falsework in place, formwork beginning to be placed, for arch rib between north abutment and Pier 1, view to south-southwest.
39. Second piece of formwork being readied for lifting into place for arch rib at north abutment, view to northwest.
40. Second piece of formwork being lifted into place for arch rib at north abutment, view to northwest.
41. Second piece of formwork being lifted into place for arch rib at north abutment, view to northwest.
42. Piers 2 and 3 under construction. Pier 3 at right, pier 2 still in forms at left center, pier 1 with formwork for arch ribs in place at left; view to north-northeast.
43. Arch ribs between north abutment and pier 1 completed, working platform for constructing spandrel members being placed; formwork for arch ribs between piers 1 and 2 being placed; concrete placement tower at center with chute ready for a pour; view to northwest.
44. Arch ribs in place, arch ribs between piers 2 and south abutment still in forms, south abutment at right, pier 3 at center,pier 2 at left; falsework for deck and south approach spans being placed; view to east.
45. Formwork for decks in place, except on arch ribs between piers 2 and 3, concrete being poured on south arch, view to north-northeast from near south abutment.
46. Lowering concrete placement tower, Pier 1 at center; view to northwest.
47. Pouring deck columns, steam-powered concrete mixer at center; direction of view not clear, but probably to north.
48. Placing deck reinforcement, view to north.
49. Bridge nearing completion, view to north-northeast from near south abutment.
50. Bridge nearing completion, Pier 2 at right center, Pier 1 at left center, north abutment at left; view to northeast.
51. Bridge nearing completion, note formwork for deck cantilever, south abutment; view to east. Note lack of connection to roadway at right.
52. Bridge nearing completion, view to north-northwest from south abutment. Note construction tent camp in background, and edge of bridge without connection to roadway in foreground.
53. Bridge nearing completion, view to northwest from near south abutment.
54. Bridge nearing completion, oblique view to downstream elevation; view to southeast.
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