Blackford Veterans Memorial Bridge

 The Tradewater River railroad bridge at Blackford was a vital link for the Ohio Valley Railroad that ran from Henderson, to Princeton, Kentucky.  The bridge was the heartbeat of the small community of Blackford.

 

 The first bridge to be constructed was a Draw Bridge.  It was shortly after 1886 when the Draw Bridge was constructed.

At that time the Tradewater River was also a vital river route for small steam-boats traveling from the Ohio River at Sturgis, up the Tradewater to the little community of Fishtrap.

The hand cut stone piers of this original draw bridge are still in place today underneath the newly renovated railroad bridge.

 

In 1892 the "Ohio Valley Railroad" sold the railroad line to the "Illinois Central Railroad."

In 1914 a new 528 long bridge was build by the Illinois Central Railroad with help from the U. S. Government that included a pedestrian walk bridge.  The Illinois Central Railroad design was an upgrade in structure.  The IC wanted to run larger and heavier classes of locomotives to pull coal trains from Union and Webster counties to the Illinois Central Kentucky division's main line at Princeton, KY.  

The residents of Blackford in Webter County and the people of Crittenden County just on the west side of the river always wanted a bridge to carry wagons, and buggies across the Tradewater River.  Many of the people on the Crittenden County side carried on their business in Blackford because it was much closer than Marion.  Blackford was only a little over a mile from the excellent road of Hwy 60 in Crittenden County which lead to Marion.  Getting to Marion required the people of Blackford to travel 20 miles out of their way, which could take as many as three days.

 

The railroad rails were removed in 1999, the wooden bridge fell in to disrepair and was closed from use.  

Through the efforts of Mr. Brent Witherspoon and the support of many people a new walking and one lane automobile bridge is in in place.  It was built using the pier structures of the 1886 Ohio Valley Railroad bridge and the concrete piers and trestle timbers of the 1914 Illinois Central Railroad bridge.  (2005). Had some problems and closed again in 2009, but reinforced and reopened in 2014. 

Both these fine gentleman are gone now.   Their work and love for the area will be remembered.