California Powder Works Bridge
California Powder Works Bridge, Covered bridge in Paradise Park, Santa Cruz County, US.
The California Powder Works Bridge extends 180 feet across the San Lorenzo River with a wooden Smith truss design and metal roof construction.
The Pacific Bridge Company manufactured this structure in 1872 to serve the California Powder Works, which produced four million pounds of explosives annually by 1887.
The bridge represents early American engineering innovation as one of 23 remaining Smith truss bridges constructed before 1955 in the United States.
The Paradise Park Masonic Club maintains this National Historic Landmark bridge for vehicle and pedestrian traffic with a weight restriction of 5 tons.
The structure contains Douglas fir trusses manufactured in Alameda and transported by rail and wagon to its construction site over the San Lorenzo River.
Location: Santa Cruz County
Inception: 1872
GPS coordinates: 37.01056,-122.04389
Latest update: November 28, 2025 14:29
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