Stone Arch Bridges of Cowley County, Kansas

The stone arch bridges of Cowley County, Kansas, have been famous statewide for many years. One major reason the Cowley bridges are so famous is their size. While other counties built many stone arch bridges, Cowley County consistently used the stone arch bridge to span their streams, large and small. Below is a list of the existing known stone arch bridges located on public roads; for information on the private Horse Creek Bridge, which is nevertheless clearly visible from Grouse Creek Road, click here.

For the aid of those who wish to tour the picturesque stone arch bridges of Cowley County, we have compiled a map of the known stone arch bridges and culverts in the county. The bridges are shown on the map with the aid of a number. For aid in reference, on the list below the number we used to depict a given bridge on the map will be clearly stated. Please note that this list is update as more stone bridges turn up.

Note: Please no trespassing. To the best of our knowledge, the listed bridges are located on public roads. In case of questions or problems feel free to contact us. Bridges difficult to photograph (such as the Bridge North of Dexter) can be photographed with the aid of a “selfie stick.”

A List of the Existing Stone Arch Bridges on the Roads of Cowley County, Kansas

This list, which can be used in conjunction with the map above, is composed of the known existing stone arch bridges on the roads of Cowley County, Kansas. On the list below we have called the bridges their original names where possible followed by the names they are more commonly known by.

Kirk Bridge/Pudden Bridge/Esch’s Spur Bridge

• Where: Spanning Grouse Creek on 232nd Road near Dexter.
• Built By: Walter Sharp.
• When: 1913.
• An Illustrated History of Esch’s Spur Bridge.
• Further Reading: The Esch’s Spur Bridge, Update on Esch’s Spur Bridge, Pudden Bridge History and Heritage.
• Note: This bridge is currently closed to vehicular traffic.
• Map Number: 1.

Neer Bridge

• Where: Spanning Grouse Creek on 275th Road near Cambridge.
• Built By: Walter Sharp & Son (Replaced previous stone arch bridge built by Andy Cook).
• When: 1916 (Replaced previous stone arch bridge begun in 1913).
• Further Reading: The Story of the Neer Bridge in Cowley County, Kansas, Two Obscure but Revealing Cowley Bridge Plaques.
• Map Number: 2.

Rock Creek Bridge

• Where: Spanning Rock Creek on 22nd Road near Rock, Kansas.
• Map Number 3.

Jordan Bridge/Andes Bridge

• Where: Spanning Silver Creek on 192nd Road near Winfield.
• Built By: Walter Sharp.
• When: 1909.
• Further Reading: Andes Bridge.
• Map Number: 4.

Fromm Bridge

• Where: Spanning Grouse Creek on 275th Road near Cambridge.
• When: 1917.
• Map Number 5.

George Steele’s Bridge/Muret Bridge

• Where: Spanning Silver Creek on 232nd Road near Winfield.
• Built By: Walter Sharp.
• When: 1904.
• Map Number 6.

Huston Bridge/Crab Creek Bridge

• Where: Spanning Crab Creek on 223rd Road near Dexter.
• Built By: Walter Sharp.
• When: 1915.
• Map Number 7.

Silliman Bridge/Badger Creek Bridge

• Where: Spanning Badger Creek on 121st Road near Winfield.
• When: Contract let December 1908.
• Map Number 8.

Floral Bridge

• Where: Spanning Timber Creek on 92nd Road near Floral.
• Built By: Walter Sharp.
• When: 1906.
• Map Number 9.

Snodgrass Bridge/Timber Creek Bridge

• Where: Spanning Timber Creek on 231st Road near Atlanta.
• Built By: “Doc” Daniel Smith.
• When: Contract awarded in 1915.
• Further Reading: Two Obscure but Revealing Cowley Bridge Plaques.
• Map Number 10.

Olmstead Bridge/Stewart Bridge

• Where: Spanning Stewart Creek on 51st Road near Udall.
• Built By: Jerry Hammond.
• When: 1904.
• Map Number: 11.

Dr. Snyder’s Bridge

• Where: Spanning Spring Creek on 262nd Road near Arkansas City.
• When: 1935.
• Map Number: 12.

Black Crook Creek Bridge

• Where: Spanning Black Crook Creek on Joel Mack Road, just outside of the south edge of Winfield.
• When: 1908.
• Map Number: 13.

 Bridge North of Dexter

• Where: Spanning a small stream on 241st Road just outside of the north edge of Dexter.
• Map Number: 14.

Chase Bridge/Thompson Bridge

• Where: Spanning a branch of Badger Creek on 182nd Road near Winfield.
• Built By: Jerry Hammond.
• When: 1906.
• Further Reading: The Thompson Bridge.
• Map Number: 15.

Stalter Bridge

• Where: Spanning the Stalter Branch of Rock Creek on 101st Road near Rock.
• Map Number: 16.

Plum Creek Bridge

• Where: Spanning Plum Creek on 271st Road near Dexter.
• Built By: Lew Welch
• When: 1908
• Map Number: 17.
• Further Resources: Three New Additions to the Cowley County Stone Bridge List.

Plum Creek Branch Bridge

• Where: Spanning a branch of Plum Creek on 271st Road near Dexter. (This bridge is a short distance south of the Plum Creek Bridge above; these bridges are within sight of each other, though they are separate structures.)
• Map Number: 18.
• Further Resources: Three New Additions to the Cowley County Stone Bridge List.

Dexter Township 182nd Road Culvert

• Where: Spanning a small, normally dry channel on 182nd Road, about halfway between 182nd’s intersections with 271st Road and 291st Road near Dexter.
• Map Number: 19.
• Further Resources: Three New Additions to the Cowley County Stone Bridge List.

Dexter Township 251st Road Culvert

• Where: Spanning a channel on 251st Road, just north of 251st’s intersection with 276th Road, near Dexter.
• Map Number: 20.
• Further Resources: Four More Additions to the Cowley County Stone Bridge List.

Dexter Township 176th Road Culvert

• Where: Spanning a small channel on 176th Road, a little west of 176th’s intersection with 271st Road, near Dexter.
• Map Number: 21.
• Further Resources: Four More Additions to the Cowley County Stone Bridge List.

Dexter Township 271st Road Culvert

• Where: This stone arch culvert is part of a long causeway over a draw. It is located on 271st Road, south of 271st’s intersection with 162nd Road, near Dexter.
• Map Number: 22.
• Further Resources: Four More Additions to the Cowley County Stone Bridge List.

Dexter Township 251st Road Culvert (2)

• Where: Spanning a small channel on 251st Road just north of 251st’s intersection with 222nd Road, near Dexter.
• Map Number: 23.
• Further Resources: Four More Additions to the Cowley County Stone Bridge List.

Dexter Township 251st Road Culvert (3)

• Where: Spanning a small channel on 251st Road south of 251st’s intersection with 176th Road, near Dexter.
• Map Number: 24.
• Further Resources: Two More Cowley Stone Culverts
• Note: This culvert appears to be a composite structure; the stone arch is used as a facing for a concrete arch inside. This culvert has also been widened with a concrete pipe on one side.

Dexter Township 281st Road Culvert

• Where: Spanning a small channel on a dead-end section of 281st Road, a south of 281st’s intersection with 162nd Road.
• Further Resources: Two More Cowley Stone Culverts
• Map Number: 25.

Fairview Township 112th Road Culvert

• Where: Spanning a channel on 112th road, east of 112th’s intersection with 111th road; the culvert is a short distance east of where 112th crosses Timber Creek.
• Further Resources: Three Newly Found Cowley County Stone Bridges.
• Map Number: 26.
• Note: This culvert has been widened on one side with what appears to be boiler pieces.

Crooked Creek Bridge

• Where: Spans Crooked Creek on 51st Road, in Ninnescah Township, south of Udall.
• When: 1908.
• Further Resources: Three Newly Found Cowley County Stone Bridges.
• Map Number: 27.
• Note: This culvert has been widened with a modern structure on one side.

Ninnescah Township County Line Culvert

• Where: Spans a small channel in Ninnescah township on the Sumner/Cowley county line road between 72nd and 82nd roads, near Udall.
• When: 1908
• Further Resources: Three Newly Found Cowley County Stone Bridges.
• Map Number: 28.
• Note: This culvert has been widened on one side with a more modern structure. Also, please note that while this culvert is on the Sumner/Cowley county line, it was actually built by Ninnescah Township, Cowley County.

Otter Township Stone Culvert (1)

• Where: Spans a small channel in Otter Township. To reach culvert, turn south on 323rd Road off of Cowley Route 28 (162nd Road). This winding road, after going generally south for over two miles, will make a major turn towards the east. The road continues east for approximately 1/2 a mile or so before heading south again; the culvert is just after the bend where the road continues southward again.
• Further Resources: Two New Additions to the Cowley Bridge List.
• Map Number: 29.
• Note: This culvert has been widened on one side.

Otter Township Stone Culvert (2)

• Where: This culvert is located at the first major eastward bend in the road approximately 1/2 a mile after the Otter Township Stone Culvert (1).
• Further Resources: Two New Additions to the Cowley Bridge List.
• Map Number: 30.
• Note: This culvert has a metal arch liner beneath the stone arch. However, the stones are laid as for a true, structural arch.

102nd Road Crooked Creek Bridge

• Where: This bridge spans Crooked Creek on 102nd Road, in Ninnescah township, south of Udall.
• Map Number: 31
• Note: This culvert has been widened on one side.

Windsor Township 102nd Road Culvert

• Where: Spans a gully on 102nd Road, a ways west of 102nd’s intersection with 281st Road.
• Map Number: 32.
• Note: This culvert has been widened on one side.

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