Description
Also known as the Kate Shelley High Bridge, the Boone Viaduct was completed in 1901 and was one of the highest and longest double-track railroad bridges in the United States. It is located approximately three miles west of Boone, Iowa. According to the Historic American Engineering Record, this viaduct is about 3,000 feet long, 185 feet above the Des Moines River, made of 6,196 tons of steel and has a double track. At that time, there were only three other viaducts similar to this one in the world: Pennsylvania, Texas and Bolivia, and all were smaller than this one. The bridge was designed by George S. Morison for the Chicago & North Western Railway and took about two years to construct.
Source-Dependent Questions
- Look closely at the photo. Describe what you see. How are the machines being used to assemble the pieces of the bridge?
- After looking at this photo, read the Railroads in Iowa essay. Why were railroads so important?
- The Kate Shelley High Bridge was completed in 1901, and it was one of the highest and longest double-track railroad bridges in the United States. Why would having two railroad tracks be important on a bridge like this?
Citation Information
Courtesy of James H. Andrew Railroad Museum & History Center, December 8, 1900.