CORRESPONDENCE NO. 1 Page 1 of 54 United States Department of the Interior EinAfW OF SUP[f(VISORS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240 luilHAR23 AVI.I.J ' H34(2280) The Honorable Dick Monteith MAR 12 2012 Chairman, Stanislaus County Board ofSupervisors 1010 lOth Street, Suite 6500 Modesto, California 95354 Dear Chairman Monteith: The National Park Service has completed the study ofthe Knight's Ferry Bridge in Stanislaus County, California, for the purpose ofnominating it for designation as a National Historic Landmark. We enclose a copy ofthe nomination. The Landmarks Committee ofthe National Park System Advisory Board will consider the nomination during its next meeting, at the time and place indicated on one ofthe enclosures. This enclosure also specifies how you may comment on the proposed nomination if you so choose. The Landmarks Committee will report on this nomination to the Advisory Board, which in tum will make a recommendation concerning this nomination to the Secretary ofthe Interior, based upon the criteria ofthe National Historic Landmarks Program. Ifyou wish to comment on the nomination, please do so within 60 days ofthe date ofthis letter. After the 60-day period, we will submit the nomination and all comments we have received to the Landmarks Committee. To assist you in considering this matter, we have enclosed a copy ofthe regulations governing the National Historic Landmarks Program. They describe the criteria for designation (§65.4) and include other information on the Program. We are also enclosing a fact sheet that outlines the effects of designation. Sincerely, J. Paul Loether, Chief National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Enclosures CORRESPONDENCE NO. 1 Page 2 of 54 PROPERTY STUDIED FOR NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION KNIGHT'S FERRY BRIDGE STANISLAUS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA The Landmarks Committee ofthe National Park System Advisory Board will evaluate this property at a meeting to be held on May 15-16,2012, beginning at 10 a.m. on May 15, and continuing at 9 a.m. on May 16, in the Richard L. Hurlbut Memorial Hall, 3rd Floor, Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives, 1201 17th Street NW, Washington, DC. The Landmarks Committee evaluates the studies of historic properties being nominated for National Historic Landmark designation in order to advise the full National Park System Advisory Board. At a subsequent meeting the National Park System Advisory Board will consider those properties that the Committee finds meet the criteria ofthe National Historic Landmarks Program. Owners ofprivate properties nominated for NHL designation have an opportunity to concur with or object to designation, in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act and 36 CFR 65. Any owner or partial owner ofprivate property who chooses to object to designation must submit a notarized statement certifying that the party is the sole or partial owner ofthe private property and objects to the designation. Each owner or partial owner ofprivate property has one vote, regardless ofthe portion ofthe property that the party owns. Ifa majority ofprivate property owners object, a property will not be designated. Letters objecting to or supporting nominations may be sent to Mr. J. Paul Loether, Chief, National Register ofHistoric Places and National Historic Landmarks Program, at the National Park Service, 1849 C Street N.W. (2280), Washington, DC, 20240. Should you wish to obtain information about these meetings, or about the National Historic Landmarks Program, please contact Historian Patty Henry at the National Park Service, at the address given above; by telephone at (202) 354-2216; or bye-mail at <[email protected]>. CORRESPONDENCE NO. 1 Page 3 of 54 NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK NOMINATION NPS Form 10-900 USDlINPS NRHP Registration Form (Rev. 8-86) OMB No. 1024-0018 KNIGHT'S FERRY BRIDGE Page 1 United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form 1. NAME OF PROPERTY Historic Name: Knight's Ferry Bridge Other Name/Site Number: 2. LOCATION Street & Number: Spanning Stanislaus River at bypassed section ofSonora Road, approximately .75 mile north ofSR 108/120 Not for publication: _ City/Town: Knight's Ferry Vicinity: _ State: California County: Stanislaus Code: 099 Zip Code: 95361 3. CLASSIFICATION Ownership ofProperty Category ofProperty Private: Building(s): Public-Local: District: Public-State: Site: Public-Federal: X Structure: X Object: Number ofResources within Property Contributing Noncontributing _buildings sites structures _objects Total Number ofContributing Resources Previously Listed in the National Register: Name ofRelated Multiple Property Listing: "Covered Bridges NHL Context Study" CORRESPONDENCE NO. 1 Page 4 of 54 • NPS Form 10-900 USDIINPS NRHP Registration Form (Rev. 8-86) OMB No. 1024-0018 KNIGHT'S FERRY BRIDGE Page 2 United States Department ofthe Interior, National Park Service National Register ofHistoric Places Registration Form 4. STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this __ nomination __ request for determination ofeligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register ofHistoric Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property __ meets __ does not meet the National Register Criteria. Signature ofCertifying Official Date State or Federal Agency and Bureau In my opinion, the property __ meets __ does not meet the National Register criteria. Signature ofCommenting or Other Official Date State or Federal Agency and Bureau 5. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that this property is: _ Entered in the National Register _ Determined eligible for the National Register _ Determined not eligible for the National Register Removed from the National Register _ Other (explain): Signature ofKeeper Date ofAction CORRESPONDENCE NO. 1 Page 5 of 54 NPS Form 10-900 USDJINPS NRHP Registration Form (Rev. 8-86) OMB No. 1024-0018 KNIGHT'S FERRY BRIDGE Page 3 United States Department ofthe Interior, National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form 6. FUNCTION OR USE Historic: Transportation Sub: road-related (vehicular) Current: Transportation Sub: road-related (pedestrian) 7. DESCRIPTION ARCHITECTURAL CLASSIFICATION: Other: Howe through truss MATERIALS: Foundation: stone Walls: wood Roof: metal Other: CORRESPONDENCE NO. 1 ... Page 6 of 54 NPS Form 10-900 USDlINPS NRHP Registration Form (Rev. 8-86) OMB No. 1024-0018 KNIGHT'S FERRY BRIDGE Page 4 United States Department ofthe Interior, National Park Service National Register ofHistoric Places Registration Form Describe Present and Historic Physical Appearance. Summary Knight's Ferry Bridge is an exceptionally fine example ofnineteenth-century covered bridge construction, and an outstanding example ofa timber Howe truss, one ofthe most significant American timber truss types, of which approximately 110 historic (pre-1955) examples survive. It is nationally significant under NHL Criterion 4, as a property that embodies the distinguishing characteristics ofan architectural type specimen exceptionally valuable for a study ofa period, style, or method ofconstruction and NHL Theme VI, Expanding Science and Technology, under the area ofTechnological Applications. Patented by William Howe (1803-1852) in 1840, the Howe truss was a ground-breaking design that used adjustable wrought iron rods to overcome the inherent difficulty ofcreating tension connections in wood structures and allow for easier and more efficient pre­ stressing ofthe members. The bridge has been well-maintained and retains an uncommonly high degree of historic integrity. Knight's Ferry Bridge was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in 1934 and by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) in 2002. It is a contributing structure to the Knight's Ferry Historic District, which was listed in the National Register ofHistoric Places in 1975. Ofthe approximately 690 historic (pre-1955) covered bridges surviving in the United States, Knight's Ferry Bridge is the longest extant covered bridge west ofthe Mississippi River and stands out as a very fine example ofcovered bridge construction and preservation. 1 General Setting The Knight's Ferry Bridge spans the Stanislaus River in a picturesque natural and historical setting at the interface ofthe rolling Sierra Nevada foothills and the fertile farmlands ofCalifornia's Central Valley. It is an arid landscape ofrolling hills and prairie, sparsely covered with groves ofoak trees and sagebrush. The Stanislaus River, one often rivers that drain the Sierra Nevada, travels 96 miles in a westerly direction from the foothills north ofSonora to the confluence ofthe San Joaquin River near Ripon. At Knight's Ferry, the river exits the confines ofa narrow canyon and begins a slower, meandering course through the valley. This proved to be an ideal site for a ferry-and later, a bridge-as the topography here allowed travelers to be safely conveyed across the river. This crossing was essential to the Sonora Road, one ofthe principal overland routes used by miners traveling between the Central Valley and the southern mines during the California gold rush. The volume oftraffic generated by miners traveling the Sonora Road enabled Knight's Ferry to quickly develop into a