It’s been a while since I’ve posted to this blog but now that I’m retired with nothing else to do (haha) I intend to post some new photos from time to time.
We made a quick side trip on the way back for Phoenix Saturday to the Gillespie Dam (and bridge.) There are so many destinations in Southwest Arizona that I never knew existed that I’ve decided to really explore Arizona and the Southwest in general or as Mr. ZIP would say, “scout the perimeter.” More on that later.
A local rancher named Frank Gillespie privately financed the construction of the concrete structure in 1921 across the Gila River near Gila Bend, AZ. The dam not only allowed water to be diverted to feed Gillespie’s crops at his nearby Paloma Ranch but also controlled the waters enough to permit drivers to traverse their Tin Lizzies across the river in all but the heaviest runoffs or floods.
The path would eventually become Old U.S. Highway 80 and make up one of our nation’s first transcontinental highways connecting Savannah Georgia to San Diego California. Five years later in 1926, Arizona spent $320,000 to build a gorgeous steel truss bridge a few hundred feet downstream from the dam. Constructed with triangular arrays of strong steel girders, it was the longest bridge in Arizona at the time and still functions today however the dam failed during heavy storms in 1993 and was never repaired.
Old photos of the bridge and dam and some of its history were borrowed from “MRZIP66 ROAD BLOGGING AND LIFE ON A HARLEY DAVISON.” I know that doesn’t necessarily sound like a reliable “source” for historical information but it’s a fun blog.
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| Notice the Great White Heron under the bridge. |
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| This section of the bridge failed during heavy rains in 19993. |
