Still Standing.
The Kinzua Bridge, near Kane,
Pennsylvania, was the highest bridge in
the world when it was first built in 1882.
Its remnants today serve as a memorial
of a time when the U.S. was going
through the Industrial Revolution.
Rust and a tornado on July 21, 2003
destroyed most of it and bridge debris
litters the forest floor. After the Kinzua
Dam it had been the most popular
tourist destination in the Allegheny
National Recreation Area. It still draws
quite a few people, especially in the
Fall. Click on the photo to see what the
wilderness looked like to early settlers
in the winter time.
Want to build a bridge here? Visit the
Save the Kinzua Bridge website. Or see
a last photo of the intact bridge.
For hiking info, visit the park's website.
The Kinzua Bridge, near Kane,
Pennsylvania, was the highest bridge in
the world when it was first built in 1882.
Its remnants today serve as a memorial
of a time when the U.S. was going
through the Industrial Revolution.
Rust and a tornado on July 21, 2003
destroyed most of it and bridge debris
litters the forest floor. After the Kinzua
Dam it had been the most popular
tourist destination in the Allegheny
National Recreation Area. It still draws
quite a few people, especially in the
Fall. Click on the photo to see what the
wilderness looked like to early settlers
in the winter time.
Want to build a bridge here? Visit the
Save the Kinzua Bridge website. Or see
a last photo of the intact bridge.
For hiking info, visit the park's website.
| Website contents copyright 2005-2008 by AlleghenyAlmanac.com unless otherwise noted. from Warren PA |
| Kinzua Bridge State Park |
Photo courtesy Paula Kittilson.
Copyright 2006
Copyright 2006
MORE photos of Kinzua Bridge
Built seven years before the Eiffel Tower ushered in the age of skyscrapers, at 301 feet
in height (about 10 stories) it was an architectural wonder inspired by the founder of
Kane, Pennsylvania to which the railroad bridge brought industry and commerce. The
bridge stood for 121 years and was undergoing restoration at the time of its collapse.
Today, no one has figured out how to re-build the bridge economically, although even in
its current state it remains an attraction. The image at right of its construction is a
German lithograph from about 1885 which reads, in part, "The highest bridge in the
world, the Kinzua Viaduct."
It has been on the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks since
1977.
in height (about 10 stories) it was an architectural wonder inspired by the founder of
Kane, Pennsylvania to which the railroad bridge brought industry and commerce. The
bridge stood for 121 years and was undergoing restoration at the time of its collapse.
Today, no one has figured out how to re-build the bridge economically, although even in
its current state it remains an attraction. The image at right of its construction is a
German lithograph from about 1885 which reads, in part, "The highest bridge in the
world, the Kinzua Viaduct."
It has been on the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks since
1977.
| UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 1882 "Die hoechste Bruecke der Welt, der Kinzua-Viaduct bei Alton in Pennsyvanien." (The highest bridge in the world, the Kinzua Viaduct near Alton in Pennsylvania) |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
click on a photo to see more views of Kinzua Bridge or watch a full-length
documentary at this link.
documentary at this link.
from the YouTube narrative:
"The Kinzua Bridge is located in McKean County, Pennsylvania USA. Living in
Mount Jewett, I had the bridge in "my backyard" but never really spent a lot of time
there. Now that it is all but gone, I wish I had spent more time enjoying the
beautiful scenery off of it. If you are looking for a place to visit in western PA, check
it out." Watch a full-length documentary on the Kinzua Bridge from PBS at this link.
"The Kinzua Bridge is located in McKean County, Pennsylvania USA. Living in
Mount Jewett, I had the bridge in "my backyard" but never really spent a lot of time
there. Now that it is all but gone, I wish I had spent more time enjoying the
beautiful scenery off of it. If you are looking for a place to visit in western PA, check
it out." Watch a full-length documentary on the Kinzua Bridge from PBS at this link.