Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct

Bridge.jpg (14108 bytes)

Location - Nicholson, PA
Owner and Builder - Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Designer - A. Burton Cohen
Engineer - G. J. Ray
Contractors - Flickwer and Bush
Length - 2,375 feet
Height - 240 feet above stream level and over 300 above bedrock
Spans - 12 Ten spans of 180 feet visible. Two spans of 100 feet buried in approach fills.
Materials - 163,000 cubic yards concrete; 2,280,000 lbs. of reinforcing steel;
185,000 bbls. of cement.
Excavation for pier foundations - 48,000 cubic yards
Depth of excavations - 60 to 138 feet.
Started - May, 1912
Dedicated - November 6, 1915
Workforce - About 500 Men of whom less than half were skilled labor.

**"Those of us who live in its shadow often seem to take it for granted, and yet, we are never unaware of its grandeur or might and the first sight of its rugged beauty as we return from travels fill us with a sense of homecoming that is hard to explain.

We are asked many questions by travelers who see it for perhaps the first time. The question are basically why, how and when?"

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**"In his book, Hoosier Holiday, Theodore Drieser, said of it "a thing colossal and impressive - those arches! How really beautiful they were. How symmetrically planned! And the smaller arches above, how delicate and lightsomely graceful! it is odd to stand in the presence of so great a thing in the making and realize that you are looking at one of the true wonders of the world."

This is the effect that it had on a man who saw it but once when it was being built. Those who live in the Valley see it in all seasons, in all types of weather and in the various times of light and shadow and they will tell you that it is an ever changing sight.

It dominates the view and yet blends with surroundings of the seasons. One look is not enough to see it as it really is. Come back if you can and see it as its neighbors do."

-Bob

Information provided by: John J. Lynch

text published by: NICHOLSON AREA LIBRARY "The Bridge Was Built"(1976)