Chase County, Kansas, once had a strong heritage of stone arch bridges constructed of the enduring rock of the Flint Hills. These structures were, for the most part, first-class structures, far exceeding the quality of most of the stone bridges of the Flint Hills. With precision-cut stones neatly fit together, the workmanship of these bridges nearly equaled some of Europe’s finest bridges.
The Loss of the Bridges
Very few of Chase’s stone bridges remain. In an effort to modernize the roads, Chase County demolished several of these structures. The Old Stone Bridge, a monumental structure near Cottonwood Falls, comparable to the Clements Bridge, and, in its day, arguably more renowned, was demolished in the 1960s after the approach and a spandrel wall were damaged due to flooding. The Diamond Creek Bridge was demolished in recent years, despite its unique stair-step design. The Baazar Bridge, a monumental multi-span structure was also demolished despite local protests. In the end, Chase county has only spared two National Register of Historic Places–listed bridges and a small stone bridge that is possibly the first one ever built in the county.
The Remaining Bridges
Three major stone bridges remain in Chase County. One is the Fox Creek Bridge, located on a road passing through Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. One is the famed Clements Bridge, which is now bypassed, and the other is a small bridge over Silver Creek. Located a couple miles from Clements Bridge, this structure was a township bridge and predates the Clements Bridge, serving as somewhat of an inspiration for its much larger cousin.
Though battered, the Silver Creek Bridge is in use. The Fox Creek Bridge appears to be in good overall condition, while the Clements Bridge shows some damage that will need to be repaired to ensure long-term stability. These bridges are a part of the Flint Hills itself, made with the famous local stone, and grace the already picturesque landscape.
It is hoped that these remaining bridges, and any stone arch culverts that may be lurking under the roads, will be preserved as a small remnant of the numerous imposing stone bridges that once served the county. The Clements Bridge needs to be given attention, for waterline deterioration of the limestone on one abutment has reached serious proportions, and needs to be checked. As this bridge is no longer on the roads, it is given much less attention than it otherwise would. As the Clements Bridge ranks as Kansas’s single most renowned stone bridge, perhaps it will receive enough attention to be restored in the near future.
Stone Arch Bridges 