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Key Facts |
Bridge Name | Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
| Blackfriars Street Bridge | Truss | Blackfriars Street | Middlesex County, Ontario | London | North Branch Thames River |
A visit to this bridge in August of 2006 revealed that the bridge was closed for repairs to the deck. I am unsure if more work will be done after the deck is redone. The bridge could use a total restoration, including sandblasting and painting. The deck repair is good news, because it suggests that London wants to keep this landmark around and functioning.
Not only is this bridge London's oldest iron bridge, this was also its first iron bridge when it was built way back in 1875! This is the only iron bowstring I know of in Ontario, and indeed all of Canada. There are still a number remaining in the United States, the longest single bowstring span is a bowstring in Mankato, Minnesota, and is 190 feet. The Blackfriars Bridge's span rings in at a considerably larger 225 feet! This may very well be the longest remaining iron bowstring span in North American and perhaps beyond.
The bridge has undergone numerous modifications, many of which have had a detrimental effect on the bridges historic integrity. Nevertheless, the bridge still manages to be an important historic structure because it is so rare and old. Bowstring bridges are one of the rarest types of truss bridges, and most date in the 1870s. They fell out of favor later in time, due to the limited weight they could support. Any bowstring truss bridge that survives today is a miracle, yet this bridge not only survives, it continues to carry vehicular traffic! Truss bridges are always intricate structures, but bowstring trusses are even more so. There is lattice, v-lacing, and members all over the place on this bridge. This large amount of complexity is balanced out by the simple, graceful appearance of the arched top chord. The result is a bridge with incomparable beauty and appeal.
This bridge is a through bowstring truss bridge, built in 1875. The bridge was a Wrought Iron Bridge Company bridge, as indicated from this document. A plaque in London credits Isaac Crouse as being the contractor for the bridge. From the best I can figure, Isaac Crouse must have purchased the bridge from Wrought Iron Bridge Company, and then erected it himself in London. No plaques survive on this bridge however. Keystone Columns, like those on the Mead Avenue Bridge form the top chord of the bridge. There is extensive v-lacing and lattice on the bridge. A sidewalk is on the south side of the bridge, and appears to be original.
This bridge has undergone extensive repairs and modifications. Most notably, the top chord has had plates of steel welded to the top of the column. This document illustrates how the plates are welded on, and what the original columns below look like. Numerous rods and bars have been welded onto many of the vertical and diagonal members as well. A couple added bars of steel run lengthwise through the middle of the truss also. These modifications have affected the historic integrity of the bridge, but have no doubt helped to keep it standing for over 130 years. The original lattice guardrails remain on the sidewalk, albeit with a metal pole welded on above them.
I have included a large number of photos for this bridge in the photo gallery. The bridge is not only a good example of what a bowstring bridge is, it also is a good example of how a bowstring might be modified from how it was originally. I discuss the original and added parts of the bridge in detail on the photos page.
As discussed above, this bridge has had a lot of repair done, and still retains a lot of paint on it. Sadly however this paint is starting to fail, and rust has eaten away at parts of the bridge, and I fear that something will have to be done with this bridge in the future. Hopefully the decision will be a total restoration, that will repair the rusted parts with attention paid to historic integrity.
