The disappearing old Michigan "Camelback" bridges

[brianreynolds]

I'm sure this wouldn't interest anybody outside of a Small Circle of Friends, but ...  For most of the last 30 years or so, I have spent the first weekend of November (or the last in October) with friends "Up North" in Michigan.  Thus it was this past weekend.  "Up North" is a somewhat subjective thing, but in this case it is in Lake County, north of Wolf Lake, west of Luther.  Nearby .....

For several decades (c. 1920 to 1961, according to http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys60-69.html) the east-west road from M-37 to US-131 through Luther was designated M-63.  Only a few hundred feet from its western terminus at M-37, the road crossed the Little Manistee River over a classic "camelback" bridge.  I tried to get a Google Street View of the bridge so that those of you who  are unfamiliar might see it, know what I am referring to.  Apparently, Google has not yet been there.

Too bad.  The old camelback bridge (best guess c. 1920) is no more.  It has been destroyed, and replaced by a soulless "bot" of a bridge.  I am mourning the loss.  The camelbacks are becoming rare.

FWIW, this is also being posted to an appropriate place on Facebook.

[triplemultiplex]

Never heard this term before, but then again, I'm not a huge bridge buff.  Do they look like this?



If so, that's a cool old design.  It'd be nice to have them stick around.

[NE2]

I don't get it. What makes this bridge a "camelback"?

[getemngo]

I don't get it. What makes this bridge a "camelback"?

As revealed on Facebook, he misremembered.

Here's the webpage about camelbacks that triplemultiplex got his images from. Near me, there was an old camelback bridge that was replaced with a replica... so hooray for historic accuracy, I guess!

[Brandon]

Here's one in Okemos doing duty as the northbound lanes over the Red Cedar: https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.71314,-84.430866&spn=0.001186,0.001206&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=42.713,-84.430865&panoid=VLW3PUVwun27fFdcNgEdRg&cbp=12,328,,0,4.51

As you can see, it's in better shape, IMHO, than the newer bridge for the southbound lanes: https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.713307,-84.431112&spn=0.001191,0.001206&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=42.713307,-84.431112&panoid=o8o58WqWF77LQ5UuTFU-6w&cbp=12,147.25,,0,9.21

[brianreynolds]

As Sam has already pointed out, the replaced bridge was not in fact a "Camelback". 

The article he linked to at http://www.historicbridges.org/info/curved/ describes a "40-foot straight chord through girder" bridge.  I believe the Old M-63 bridge was that.  It was very old, quite narrow, and loaded with personality.  Its replacement has none of those characteristics.

I'm glad for the linked article.  It is loaded with good stuff.

[sdmichael]

Almost looks like a through-arch bridge, which there are a few left here in California.

[bugo]

Are the "camelback" bridges the same thing as Marsh rainbow arch bridges?

[brianreynolds]

Are the "camelback" bridges the same thing as Marsh rainbow arch bridges?

Jeremy, I would say similar, but not the same.  However, there are many here at AA Roads that are far better than I am, to speak to the technical differences or similarities. 

Did you have a look at the article at http://www.historicbridges.org/info/curved/ ?  It has a ton of good information mostly specific to the Michigan version.

[ftballfan]

There's still one that can be seen from I-96 near Nunica that carries Cleveland St (old US-16) across a creek.

[getemngo]

Apparently there's one on old US 41 between Alberta and the junction with old M-28. Could make for a fun side trip at this fall's meet.