Market Street Bridge/Kittanning Bridge 1932

Collection

Identifier: SC Photo-0019

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection of the photographs begins with erection of main span in July 1931 and also shows the demolition of the previous metal bridge across the Allegheny River in 1932. Captions written in black ink are beneath the photos. Also included are a letter, specifications sheet and three newspaper articles.

Dates

1931-1932
Majority of material found within 1931-1932, 1958

Creator

Kirkley, L. F. “Kirk” (Person)

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection housed remotely. Users need to contact 24 hours in advance.

Conditions Governing Use

Collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

The Market Street/Kittanning Bridge carries Business US 422 across the Allegheny River. This bridge replaced another bridge that was demolished when the new bridge was built. Kittanning is located in Armstrong County, PA. The metal superstructure of this bridge was built by McClintic-Marshall Company for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Highways. The founders of the Company, Howard Hale McClintic and Charles Donnell Marshall, were members of Lehigh University’s Class of 1888 and both studied civil engineering. In 1931, the company was purchased by Bethlehem Steel Company. The bridge was designed as a metal rivet Parker Through Truss Stationary bridge. The main span length is 406 feet (123.7 meters), the total structure length: 949.2 feet (289.3 meters), roadway width: 30.5 feet (9.3 meters). There are three main spans and the bridge now is included in Kittanning ‘s Riverfront Park across from Applewold Borough. At the back of the scrapbook are four photographs of the Brewery Bridge carrying Ligonier Street across the Loyalhanna Creek in Latrobe located in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet (Maroon textured paper covering board, spine tied together with eyelets and cord. On cover are printed Scrap Book and Market Street Bridge Kittaning, PA. 1931. Inside cover is page with L.F. Kirkley at lower right corner. The title page is hand lettered in blue ink “Progress Photos MARKET STREET BRIDGE Kittanning – Pa. Built for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Super-Structure by McClintic-Marshall Corp. There are 25 heavy paper pages, 45 black and white glossy photos of assorted sizes, three newspaper articles, and a letter and a specification sheet. Although most of the collection deals with the Kittanning Bridge at the back of the scrapbook are four photos of the Brewery Bridge in Latrobe, Pa.) ; 23.5 x 28.5 x 7.5 cm

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection shows a series of construction photos of a Pennsylvania Department of Highways Parker Through Truss Bridge built by the McClintic-Marshall Company. The bridge is known as the Market Street Bridge or the Kittanning Bridge and carries Business US 422 over the Allegheny River from Kittanning, PA to Applewold on the opposite bank. Also very cursorily are a few photos and brief description of the Brewery Bridge in Latrobe, PA.

Arrangement

The construction photographs are generally arranged from beginning of span erection in July 1931 to February 1932 but the last page of album has photos dated November 1931 which are of the Brewery Bridge in Latrobe, Pa. The collection begins however with a letter dated 1958.