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Stone arch7/27/2023 To build an arch, wedge-shaped stones are required. Building walls with stones shaped like oversized bricks was all simple enough, but building the arches was another story. These large blocks of stone were easily stacked, being laid into a bed of mortar with the aid of a hand operated crane. Since the stones were limestone, they could be cut very simply into massive, brick-like blocks in this fashion. Granted, the spandrel walls of the bridges were pretty simple to build the stones were usually quarried out of hillsides with feathers-and-wedges. To be sure, these local farmers often had little stone masonry training, but they were shown what to do, and with what success needs only to be determined by looking at Walter Sharp’s bridges. These structures were built with a degree of pride, often by the very people who would use them the most. This practice kept his costs down and made his bridges rather popular projects locally. Rather than hire a team of professional masons, Walter Sharp hired local people - usually farmers - to build his bridges. One factor that played into Walter Sharp’s competitive bridge prices was the fact that he used local labor. The Secret to Walter Sharp’s Success: Local Labor And it would appear that other builders of Cowley’s bridges more or less adapted Sharp’s methods. Walter Sharp was responsible for most (though not all) of the famous Cowley County stone arch bridges, including this one over Timber Creek near Floral. Stone arch bridges could be fantastically expensive (as an example, the famous Clements Bridge in Chase County, Kansas, was triple the cost of the largest stone arch bridge in the state - the Dunkard Mill Bridge, which Walter Sharp built.) However, whereas some stone arch bridges were quite expensive, Walter Sharp’s pricing proved to be but slightly more expensive than the cost of a steel bridge, and his stone bridges lasted much longer with much less maintenance than a steel bridge could. The Cowley commissioners were apparently already aware of the permanence of stone arch bridges, but did not know of anyone who could build them at a cost they could afford. Cowley County needed permanent bridges at affordable costs, and Walter Sharp provided them. While in Kansas Walter Sharp was already well known in Marion, Chase, Greenwood, and Butler counties, it was in Cowley County where he really rose to fame. And, unlike bridges built by other builders, Walter Sharp’s bridges rarely failed - surviving time and floods much better than wooden or even iron truss bridges did. He quickly rose to prominence, as his highly competitive pricing allowed him to win numerous contracts. Walter Sharp seemingly appeared out of nowhere early on in Kansas’s years of stone arch bridge building. While primarily building in Kansas, he also built several stone arch bridges in other places, such as New Mexico. There is no admission fee.Perhaps one of the most well-known individual stone arch bridge builders is Walter Sharp. Refer to "Group Picnic Permit" at the top of this page to reserve a date for your special day. The park is available for wedding ceremonies and wedding party photos. A childrens' playground (for ages 5-12), picnic area, interpretive signs, and restroom facilities are available. Visitors can fish in the East Branch of the Callicoon Creek or take a walk along the Worthington or Bridge trails. It was restored in 1980-81 by the Division of Public Works and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was originally built in 1880 by Swiss immigrants Henry and Philip Hembt. Located at the intersection of Routes 52 & 52AĪ scenic three arched stone bridge is the centerpiece of this 20 acre park. Sullivan Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation Sullivan County Towns and Villages LegislatureĮmerald Corporate Center Economic Development Corp
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