Built in 1882, the Kinzua Bridge Was the Tallest Railroad Bridge in the World

Once billed as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” built in 1882, the Kinzua Bridge was the tallest railroad bridge in the world. That distinction lasted two years. In 1900, the original wrought iron bridge was dismantled and replaced with steel to allow heavier trains to use it. The railroad trestle was 301 feet tall and 2, 052 feet long. It spanned the Kinzua Creek in McKean County and was used commercially until 1959, when it was sold to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The government had planned to use the bridge as part of a state park. In 2002, the state began a restoration of the bridge. On July 21, 2003, a strong thunderstorm spawned a tornado that struck the bridge and collapsed 11 of the bridge’s 20 towers. Corroded base bolts added to the destruction when the tornado passed through the ravine. Fortunately, no lives were lost. At the time of the collapse, the single standard gauge track was still ranked as the fourth tallest railroad bridge in the United States. In 1977, the Kinzua bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1982, it was noted as a National Historic Civic Engineering Landmark. The bridge’s history and importance centered around Thomas L. Kane, president of the New York Lake Erie and Western Railway. The company needed access to Pennsylvania coal fields. The Kinzua bridge provided the fastest access, but building it was also an engineering feat. The reason was that it would be twice as large as any other bridge built at that time. The original bridge was designed and built by Phoenix Iron Works. It gave those who viewed the bridge the impression that it was made from wood, not wrought iron. The Kinzua bridge is credited with giving coal mining in Pennsylvania a significant economic boost due to the ability to utilize the bridge. As train engines and cars became heavier, the Kinzua bridge’s capacity to handle the more demanding loads was in question. In 1959, the bridge was deemed no longer usable. A local salvage company, who now owned the bridge, chose to work with local groups to prevent the bridge from being dismantled. In 1963, The government of Pennsylvania purchased the bridge and 316 acres for $50,000 and created the state park. In 1965, the park was opened. The Knox and Kane Railroad ran a sightseeing excursion from Kane, Pennsylvania through the Allegheny National Forest, which included the Kinzua bridge. It ran from 1987 through 2002, when restoration of the bridge began. The sightseeing tour attracted nearly 120,000 visitors annually. After the tornado damage, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania considered rebuilding the bridge, but the estimated cost of $45 million put an end to that project. The Knox and Kane Railroad too, saw a sharp drop in tours after the bridge closure. In 2004, the National Registry of Historic Places dropped the Kinzua from its list. Rail track was removed and the rail pathway became a hiking trail. In 2005, the state decided to repair the remaining towers and spend funds for a new observation deck and visitor’s center. In 2011, the Kinzua Sky Walk opened. The state’s funding for the projects, costing millions of dollars, was based on the estimated tourism revenue that the park would generate. The Kinzua bridge’s history and the forces of nature make the park a place to visit.