Riparia Bridge, Railroad bridge in Whitman County, Washington, United States.
Riparia Bridge was a steel structure spanning the Snake River with three trusses, one of which could rotate to let vessels pass beneath. The movable section was operated through a hydraulic system on the main support pier.
George S. Morison designed this bridge for the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company, completing it in 1889 as a pioneering steel structure. It represented early engineering innovation along the Snake River corridor.
The bridge served as a meeting point where steamboats and trains intersected, shaping how the community connected with the wider region. Visitors today can sense how this location brought different forms of transport and trade together.
The bridge was positioned at a key junction between river and rail routes, making it accessible from several directions. Keep in mind that the site is now submerged and visible only from vantage points along the current shoreline.
The rotating section was one of the earliest examples of a pivoting span in North America, allowing steamboats to navigate while keeping rail traffic flowing. This engineering solution was remarkable for its time and demonstrated advanced mechanical design.
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