Lawrence, Kansas
Kansas River Area and Bridge Photos
 A-First bridge of Lawrence Kansas built in 1863. It consisted of "five wooden spans resting on solid stone pieces. |
 B-Floods and Ice Gorge damages caused sections of the 1863 bridge to be replaced thru the yrs with Iron. |
 C-By 1913, it was stated that the old bridge was rapidly approaching an unsafe conditions. A new bridge was built of reinforced concrete and opened by January, 1917 |
 D-The concrete bridge built in 1916-17 was replaced by the double bridges in 1976-78. |
Quick Summary
1st Bridge built 1863-Began use 1964
2nd Bridge built 1916-Began use 1917
3rd. Double Bridges 1976-1978
(Photos of Lawrence Ks. Bridges - Click each picture to view larger)
1857_River_Ferry
crossing_the_Kaw --A ferry established in 1855 by J.Baldwin and C.W. Babcock.
It was a flat boat propelled by a rope stretched across the river.
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1st Bridge Lawrence Ks looking north built in 1863
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View
of the 1st. Kansas River Bridge at Lawrence Ks 1867
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Lawrence-
-The Interurban K.C.K.V Electric Interurban car connecting Kansas City
and Lawrence that started in 1916.-
crossing on the newly built Lawrence Bridge (part of old bridge still showing)
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Looking east 1909
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1907
-west of bridge at the north end of Tennessee
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1874 - Douglas County Mills. The building to the right is Delaware Mills
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1907
looking east Lawrence, Ks
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1909
- bridge looking north the Union Pacific depot top right
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1911
Bowersock - Zephyr
Each time a flood etc damaged portions of the wooden bridge new iron spans were added and
that explains why the
pictures of this bridge appear different thru the years from 1863-1917
Kaw
river bridge - late 1800's - 
Close-up of 6th Mass. bldg. just south of bridge late 1800's
It says Leis Chemical--Dandelion Tonic which later became Boener
Cigar Factory in 1905.
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Before
1917 Lawrence, Ks Just south of the bridge sat the Boener
Cigar Factory that was there ca 1905-20-
The New cement bridge was built 1916-17.
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.jpg)
Bowersock
(unsure of date)
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Bowersock
Mill ca 1886
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(tidbit
of info) Bowersock-Park - Lawrence residents had a park that few knew they had.
As part of plans for Bowersock Mills & Power Company to build the new hydroelectric power plant on the north bank of the Kansas River,
the city agreed to lease a little known park to Bowersock on the south side of the river.
2010
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Bowersock
- Looking south a view from old concrete bridge
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1950's
view of the bridge constructed in 1916-17
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Bridge - Lawrence Ks_
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east
view of river-low water 2013
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Delaware Mills North Lawrence
(unsure of date)
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1951
or earlier Looking north (Close-up shows the old Market/City Hall/Police-Fire
8th Vt.
shown
lower left-that was demolished in 1951 to build a new Police/Fire Bldg. 8th Vt.)
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Flood_1903
looking north from Bowersock area
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Ice
Gorge 1910
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Kansas River Flood, Lawrence,
Kansas 1903
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Kaw Bridge unsure of yr (After
the Wood was replaced with Iron)
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Kaw
bridge 1950's looking east (my dads pic)
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Kaw
river before levee late 40's or early 50's
pic taken by my dad - west side of bridge from Santa Fe tracks
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Looking
east
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Looking East Towards Bridge and Lawrence
Santa Fe Tracks
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Bridge
looking north-ca before1889
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aerial map current view of pilings that could be from the Rail Road Bridge.
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2014-April Flemming took this pic and posted to the North Lawrence Face Book page. The area is off of 6th & Walnut and these pylons are
very likely ones from the RR bridge that crossed the river at that point. The R.R. bridge was constructed 1872-3.
It was torn down ca.1899.
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plaque-in-UP-underpassNorth2nd
st-2013
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Rail
bridge-east view LibertyHall 1870s - The R.R. bridge was constructed 1872-3. It was torn down ca.1899.
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Shunganunga
boulder at Robinson Park, Bowersock and Bridge
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silo-bottoms-were
left E 6th St--
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6th
Mass. City Hall -grain elevator partial bottoms
were used in the retaining wall
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E 6th St
Mass. Bowersock
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New
bridges construction-The Vermont Street span was completed and opened to traffic April 4, 1978,
at which time the old Massachusetts Street span was closed, and two-way traffic was temporally carried on the new Vermont st. bridge.
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old dam
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Bowersock Mills and
Power Hydro Electric plant on the north side of the Kansas river 2013
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The items on these pages are for personal enjoyment only. I do not support or promote copyright infringement.
The material is used here just for the purpose of nostalgia, information and fun. I just like to share what I have and discover.
caguy
1867
LAW-KS-BRIDGE
1903
flood looking north_
2013
low-water
Dam
-Kaw river bridge 2004
Dam
- 2013
section
of Bowersock 2013
Kaw
river Ice Gorge 1910
Ice Gorge Lawrence Ks 1910
looking
north-late1800s
This photo taken from a stereograph view of Lawrence looking north. 
Down-old-up-with
the new -Tearing down of the old bridge. 
Work began in April
1976