A overview and some photos of the stone arch bridges of Butler County, Kansas from 1908 – 1918. Includes a map of the 50+ stone bridges built by the county proper.
Tag Archives: Quality of Construction
Building Better Masonry
Masonry is rewarding undertaking. There is no “magic” behind building enduring structures, rather, stone masonry is easily learned with practice.
American Railroad Stone Arch Bridges
American railroads built many premium quality stone arch bridges because well-built stone bridges last and can handle massive loads well.
Building Solid Foundations on Weak Ground
Where a stone arch bridge must be founded on soft ground, there are several simple steps can be taken to prevent settling of the structure.
Mortarless Bridge Maintenance: Part 1
A key concern when maintaining a mortarless stone arch bridges is how stones can be worked loose by vibration. There are ways to prevent this.
Effective Arch Thickness
Effective arch thickness is the measure of how much of an arch’s thickness is supporting weight. This means that even imperfect arches can be strong.
Are Stone Arch Bridges Outdated?
Stone arch bridges from past centuries are widely used across the world, and stone bridges are even still built in some places.
C. C. Jamison’s Masterpiece: The Minos West Ford Bridge
The beautiful Minos West Ford Bridge built by C. C. Jamison in southern Butler County, Kansas was considered a masterpiece even in its own time.
Drystack (Mortarless) Arch Tips
While drystack arches are more challenging to build than their mortared counterparts, following some simple rules can ensure rewarding success.
The WPA Stone Arch Bridges
To create jobs in the Great Depression, the WPA erected numerous well-built stone arch bridges which have a unique style and history of their own.
Stone Arch Bridges 