The Thompson bridge in southern Cowley County, Kansas, is an intriguing stone arch culvert built by Jerry Hammond in 1906.
Author Archives: StoneArchBridges
B. P. Lindsey is a Kansas resident who has extensively studied the stone bridges of the Sunflower State, most notably those of Cowley County. He is a writer with a love of the past — studying how people lived and how things were done in the old days. He also enjoys physics and building things. He has a particular interest in masonry and enjoys experimenting with various ways to build stone arch bridges — including two completed stone arch footbridges. He always has plans for another stone arch bridge down the road. You can find him at StoneArchBridges.com.
New Stone Arch Bridges of Cowley County, Kansas, Page
We have compiled a list of the nearly 20 famous stone arch bridges of Cowley County, Kansas, with a picture, date and builder for each where possible.
3 Ways to Prevent Scour
There are several way to prevent scour, which is the worst enemy of stone arch bridges with shallow foundations as is common.
Two Obscure but Revealing Cowley Bridge Plaques
Some of the stone arch bridges of Cowley County, Kansas have elusive plaques, which tell an interesting story about the structure.
A Stone Arch Bridge’s Weight-Handling Abilities
The amount of weight a stone arch bridge can handle is related to a variety of factors including span, arch thickness, condition and more.
A Critical Part of Arch Building: The Centering
A stone arch under construction requires temporary support until it is completed. This support, called the centering, must be strong and well planned.
Pudden Bridge (Esch’s Spur Bridge): History and Heritage
We have released a detailed account of the unique history of Pudden Bridge, the famous triple-arch stone bridge near Dexter, Cowley County, Kansas.
Multi-Span Arch Bridges
Mutli-span stone arch bridges can be modestly challenging to build, but open up several possibilities for increasing waterway, if planned correctly.
Distorted Arches
While a distorted arch in a stone bridge is not always a problem, it often points to an underlying serious trouble elsewhere within the structure.
On the Stone Arch Bridges of Cowley County, Kansas
While Cowley County neither was the first nor the most prolific stone arch building region in Kansas, it’s famous for its massive stone arch bridges.
Stone Arch Bridges 