Clements Stone Bridge
Clements Stone Bridge
Location: From Strong City on Hwy US 50, West 13 1/2 miles to Clements, then South 1 mile on county road. Turn-off is marked.
Contact: Chase County Historical Society, Phone: 316/273-8500
Nearest Towns:
Strong City, Cottonwood Falls
For over 100 years, the Clements stone bridge has cast it's graceful and beautiful reflection into the waters of the Cottonwood River in Chase County. It is a product of another time. A time when craftsmanship and aesthetics of a bridge where as important as the practical aspect of being able to cross the stream with dry feet. Barely a mile from busy Highway US 50, this historic treasure is not too well known, and that's a shame.
The
old stone bridge no longer carries traffic. That job has
been taken over by a more practical, more modern, and far less inspiring
structure about 1/4 mile down stream. It no longer receives maintenance
from the county, and is rapidly deteriorating. Though it's hard to tell
from these photos, the rock itself is slowly giving in to the relentless forces
of nature seeking to break the stone down. A few stones have been removed
from the bridge, for whatever reason. The west abutment has been
undermined by the river. Without some preservation I suspect this
beautiful and historic bridge will one day be nothing more than a pile of
limestone blocks lying in the Cottonwood river.
Literally
from a different time, the date stone reads, "1886". Though
more modern bridges carry heavier and wider loads, no one can say they are works
of art. The Clements bridge fits in this category. Built with
horsepower and hand tools, the double arches are "dry-fit" native stones,
relying on the stone mason's skill rather than modern mortar to hold the stones
fast against the sometimes raging Cottonwood River.
This 127 foot span, the longest stone bridge in Kansas, was listed on the National Historic Register in 1976, but this in itself far from insures the bridge's future.
For additional information, check out the Clements Bridge Website . It is an excellent site, and has historical and other information beyond the scope of the Kansas Photo Tour. I highly recommend a visit !