Niagara Clifton Bridge

Niagara Clifton Bridge

Print by Currier and Ives of the bridge and American Falls
Followed by 2nd Falls View Bridge
Characteristics
Design Suspension Bridge with Cable Stays[1]
Total length 1,268 ft (386 m)
Width 10 ft (3 m) expanded to 17 ft (5 m) in 1887-1888
Height 100 ft (30 m)
Longest span 1,268 ft (386 m)
History
Construction begin Winter 1867-1868
Construction end December 29, 1868
Opened 1869
Collapsed January 9, 1889

The Niagara Clifton Bridge, also known as the first Falls View Suspension Bridge, was a suspension bridge over the Niagara River between Niagara Falls, New York and Clifton, Ontario. It was designed by Samuel Keefer, with construction starting in 1867. It was officially opened for traffic on January 2, 1869 and was destroyed in a storm on the night of January 9, 1889.[2]

Replacement

Shortly following the collapse of the first Falls View Suspension Bridge, a second bridge of the same design was ordered to be built. Construction began on March 22, 1889 and erection work took only 38 days to complete. It was opened on May 7, only 117 days after the preceding bridge disaster. The second Falls View Suspension Bridge was dismantled in 1898 when construction of the Honeymoon Bridge was complete. The dismantled bridge was moved to Queenston–Lewiston where it was re-erected and became the second Queenston–Lewiston Bridge and remained in service until 1962 when it was replaced with a larger and more modern bridge. The suspension bridge was finally dismantled and sold to a Buffalo, New York firm.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Niagara Clifton Bridge.
  1. Nicholas Janberg's Structurae
  2. "Bridges Over Niagara Falls". Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  3. "Bridges Over Niagara Falls". Retrieved 2013-05-22.

Coordinates: 43°05′19″N 79°04′11″W / 43.0885°N 79.0698°W / 43.0885; -79.0698

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/3/2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.