The Steel Bridge spanning Jackson Road was by-passed with a modern concrete span in 1972, but remains alongside. (HAER)

BRIDGES

The topography of Vicksburg National Military Park consists of a series of narrow ridges fronted and intersected by steep ravines, many of which are caused by small, intermittent streams. To achieve the desired effect of a continuous park roadway along the lines of the armies on both sides, it was necessary to cross many of these narrow cuts and deep gorges. In choosing designs for these bridges, a great deal of attention was given to their aesthetic contributions to the overall historic landscape.

A variety of structural types and construction materials were utilized in the early designs of bridges at the military park. However, each span maintained an aesthetic treatment appropriate for such a landscape. The large steel spans incorporated decorative lattice railings with ornately cast posts and medallions. Concrete spans were poured with incised panels and mouldings, often highlighted with wrought-iron railings. Unlike other military parks of the period, stone was not a local material and it was not employed in the bridges at Vicksburg. New spans and replacement bridges constructed through the 1930s continued the tradition of commemorative design, but those after 1970 sought a more "modern" streamlined approach. Nearly a century old, many of the bridges remain as a testament to their solid construction and aesthetic principles.

(top) Original wrought iron railing of the Melan-type bridges, ca. 1903. (VICK); (bottom) View of Melan bridge along Union Avenue. (HAER)

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