Green’s Mill Historical Bridge Saved From Destruction
With such an enormous amount of water in the state of Missouri, it wasn’t long before people began looking for ways to harness some of that potential energy for human use. The first to study the concept of damming the Osage River was a man named Ralph W. Street of Kansas City, Missouri in 19121
Big businesses had a vision of harnessing all this waterpower and putting the rivers to work supplying electricity to southeastern part of the state. Rumors started circulating through the Ozarks that a dam was going to be built across the Osage River causing the Big and Little Niangua rivers in Camden County to flood.
When rumors finally turned to fact, “It can’t be done” was the cry heard echoing through the hills. In 1931, while the United States was in the grasp of the Great Depression, Union Electric started the construction of a Hydro-electric plant (aka Bagnell Dam) that was completed in 1933. Water impounded behind the dam formed the Lake of the Ozarks. The new lake water also backed into and flooded several tributaries of the Osage River, leading to wider rivers that required new bridges. Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) decided that they needed to build bridges across these widened tributaries. The Little Niangua River Bridge (aka Green’s Mill Bridge) was one of these bridges.
For 90 years, folks have crossed the Green’s Mill Bridge, using State Route J as a short cut through the county side from US Hwy 54 to State Highway 7 in Camden County, Missouri. Little did they know that Green’s Mill Bridge would become a historical treasure in their own back yard. The bridge was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historical Places as a nationally significant example of a self-anchored suspension bridge. At its time of construction, it was one of four self-anchored suspension bridges in the US. The others are the Three Sister Bridges crossing the Allegheny River in Pittsburg, PA. These bridges are still in service.
Green’s Mill Bridge is still standing, but unfortunately time has taken its toll. Regular bridge inspections found increasing deterioration to the point where MoDOT made the decision to replace it. Because the structure had potential historical value, MoDOT offered the bridge for free to organizations or individuals who could propose reuse of the bridge in place.
Green’s Mill Historical Bridge, Inc. took MoDOT up on their offer to adopt the bridge. The organization was formed in August 2018 as a non-profit organization. Its mission is to:
- Preserve and maintain Green’s Mill Bridge in its original location
- Make the bridge and Ozark History accessible to visitors; and
- Support bridge engineering history and education.
To fund this project, the organization is offering the public a chance to join with them by becoming a member. Donations are being accepted by individuals and/or corporations to partner with them for the continuing cost inherent in a project of this magnitude.
Once again, the local cry was heard, “It can’t be done, it’ll never happen.”
But it was done, and it is happening!
In January 2023, MoDOT transferred the ownership of the Green’s Mill Bridge S0391 to Green’s Mill Historical Bridge, Inc. The organization has plans to develop the bridge as a handicap accessible facility. There will be open parking on both ends of the bridge with a courtyard and dawn to dusk lightening on the east end. For a small fee, the bridge will be offered for public gatherings, such as family reunions, weddings, memorial services, sunrise or vesper church gatherings and fundraising events. The list of potential gatherings is endless. The bridge will soon be a safe place for artists to set up their painting easels and for; photographers to site in their cameras for some of the most breath-taking views nature has to offer. In addition to the topside of the bridge, the waters below are filled with small and large mouth bass, white bass, croppie and catfish just to name a few. At certain times of the year, you can raft the waters or take a jet ski ridge under the bridge and look up at the sky though the steel grate deck for a completely different view of the bridge. Visitors are invited to stay until dusk to witness the flight of the endangered grey bats that come to roost in the surrounding woods during early spring and leave late in the fall.2
We hope that future generations will appreciate this unusual and distinguished little bridge located in the backwoods of the Missouri Ozark Hills. It is a terrific resource, both an unusual and historic example of bridge engineering history and a beautiful place to visit and enjoy. We are pleased to lead the effort in its preservation.3
SEE YOU AT THE BRIDGE!
- www.odd.net/ozarks/baghist.hml
- Travis Simmons/Missouri Department of Conservation
- Excerpts from ENR Engineering News Record
- Author Brian Brennen, Professor of the Practic
- Tufts University
- Medford, NMA
