The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge

The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge is a derelict structure located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Placer County, California. The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge can be found between the communities of Colfax and Iowa Hill. The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge is a wire suspension structure which spans the North Fork American River. The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge was replaced by a modern span and converted to pedestrian use following floods during 1963.

Part 1; the history of the 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge

During 1853 gold was discovered at what to become Iowa Hill. The gold mining claims soon led to a small community known as Iowa City being established. By 1854, Post Office Service began at the mines of Iowa City. By 1856 gold production at Iowa City was estimated to be around $100,000. Iowa City was burned in fires during 1857 and 1862 but the community was rebuilt with more modernized structures.

The location of Iowa City can be seen as "Iowa Hill" on the 1873 Bancroft's Map of California. Iowa Hill is shown to be a short distance east of Colfax in rural Placer County with no major roads connecting the communities.

Iowa Hill can be seen connected to Colfax via a road (now Iowa Hill Road) over the North Fork American River on the 1882 Bancroft's Map of California.

In 1901 the Postal Service officially changed the name of Iowa City to "Iowa Hill." Iowa Hill Road can be seen in great detail of the 1914 C.F. Weber Map of Placer County. Iowa Hill Road is shown with a bridge crossing the North Fork American River, it is unclear what type of span this was.

Iowa Hill burned for a final type during 1920. Though diminished by fire and the decline mining the community of Iowa Hill persisted. During 1928 a then new wire suspension bridge was constructed along Iowa Hill Road at the North Fork American River. The location of the 1928 Iowa Hill Bridge can be seen along Iowa Hill Road on the 1935 Division of Highways Map. Iowa Hill Road is noted to be a major Placer County road.

A car can be seen crossing the 1928 Iowa Hill Bridge can be seen in a 1950s era photo (courtesy bridgerhunter.com).

During February 1963 the 1928 Iowa Hill Bridge was partially washed out by floods on the North Fork American River. A new bridge was erected directly to the south as the new alignment of Iowa Hill Road. The 1928 Iowa Hill Bridge was subsequently retained as part of the Mineral Bar Campground.

Part 2; visiting the 1928 Iowa Hill Bridge

During May 2023 Josh Schmid visited the 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge after the May 6, 2023, Fresno Road Meet. The below collection of photos was taken by Josh during his visit.

Comments

Old US Route 60/70 through Hell (Chuckwall Valley Road and Ragsdale Road)

Back in 2016 I explored some of the derelict roadways of the Sonoran Desert of Riverside County which were part of US Route 60/70; Chuckwalla Valley Road and Ragsdale Road. US 60 and US 70 were not part of the original run of US Routes in California. According to USends.com US 60 was extended into California by 1932. US 60 doesn't appear on the California State Highway Map until the 1934 edition. USends.com on US 60 endpoints 1934 State Highway Map Conversely US 70 was extended into California by 1934, it first appears on the 1936 State Highway Map. USends.com on US 70 endpoints 1936 State Highway Map When US 60 and US 70 were extended into California they both utilized what was Legislative Route Number 64 from the Arizona State Line west to Coachella Valley. LRN 64 was part of the 1919 Third State Highway Bond Act routes. The original definition of LRN 64 routed between Mecca in Blythe and wasn't extended to the Arizona State Line until 1931 acc...

The last 1956-63 era California Sign State Route Spade?

Along southbound California State Route 170 (the Hollywood Freeway Extension) approaching the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway interchange a white California State Route 134 Sign State Route Spade can be observed on guide sign. These white spades were specifically used during the 1956-63 era and have become increasingly rare. This blog is intended to serve as a brief history of the Sign State Route Spade. We also ask you as the reader, is this last 1956-63 era Sign State Route Spade or do you know of others? Part 1; the history of the California Sign State Route Spade Prior to the Sign State Route System, the US Route System and the Auto Trails were the only highways in California signed with reassurance markers. The creation of the US Route System by the American Association of State Highway Officials during November 1926 brought a system of standardized reassurance shields to major highways in California. Early efforts to create a Sign State Route ...

Paper Highways; Interstate H-4 through downtown Honolulu

The Hawaiian Island of O'ahu is home to four Interstate Highways; H-1, H-2, H-3 and H-201. Had history gone slightly differently during the 1960s a fifth Interstate corridor on O'ahu could have been constructed through downtown Honolulu and the neighborhood of Waikiki. The proposed corridor of Interstate H-4 can be seen above as it was presented by the Hawaii Department of Transportation during October 1968 . This page is part of the Gribblenation O'ahu Highways page. All Gribblenation and Roadwaywiz media related to the highway system of O'ahu can be found at the link below: https://www.gribblenation.org/p/gribblenation-oahu-highways-page.html The history of proposed Interstate H-4 The corridor of Interstate H-4 was conceived as largely following what is now Hawaii Route 92 on Nimitz Highway and Ala Moana Boulevard. Prior to the Statehood the first signed highways within Hawaii Territory came into existence during World War II. Dur...