Within the frosty depths of Niagara Falls’ winter, 87 years in the past, a chilling occasion unfolded throughout temperatures beneath zero. The mighty Honeymoon Bridge, also referred to as the Falls View Bridge, confronted nature’s fury as monumental ice chunks gathered beneath it on January twenty third, 1938. A strong wind storm propelled ice from Lake Erie, overlaying the Horseshoe and American Falls. Although we’ve encountered “Polar Vortex” situations recently, that particular yr was exceptionally frigid, resulting in ice bridges piling up and creeping in the direction of the bridge’s foundations. Because the ice reached unprecedented heights, the bridge succumbed to the immense strain and tragically collapsed.
Early Days
Constructed in 1898 by the Pencoyd Bridge Firm of Philadelphia and designed by Engineer R.S. Buck, the Honeymoon Bridge was a outstanding construction. With an 840-foot span, it featured a two-hinged arch, a latticed rib, and trusses connecting the primary span to every shoreline. Positioned near the river’s edge, the abutments prolonged to the bottom of the gorge. Nevertheless, this proximity to the water stage would in the end result in the undoing of the bridge.
On June twenty third, 1897, the Higher Metal Arch Bridge was accomplished and opened for site visitors, boasting the title of the world’s longest construction of its form with an 840-foot span. This magnificent bridge featured a single ground, accommodating double tracks for electrical trolleys, in addition to area for carriages and pedestrians. Not solely was it a useful crossing, however the Higher Metal Arch Bridge additionally stood as a beautiful and sleek construction, providing a wide ranging view of the Falls.
Early Points
The bridge’s abutments confronted an ongoing problem from ice bridges forming within the Decrease Niagara River each winter, given their nearness to the river’s floor. A big ice bridge posed a risk to displace the bridge from its foundations in early January 1899. Devoted staff labored for 3 weeks, clearing ice across the abutments and metal girders, successfully minimizing injury to the construction.
Collapse Occasion
Within the pivotal week of 1938, the Niagara River surged, reaching a peak of 9 toes, submerging the Maid of the Mist docks and the encompassing space. Ice tightly wrapped across the abutments of the Honeymoon Bridge, prompting the suspension of all car site visitors on the day previous the collapse. Luckily, no casualties resulted from the site visitors halt, apart from the bridge itself.
On January twenty seventh, 1938, at 4:20 pm, the Honeymoon Bridge succumbed to the pressure and plunged into the Niagara Gorge.
The lesson from the Niagara Falls Bridge Collapse led to the development of the present Rainbow Bridge, strategically positioned about 500 toes north of the previous Honeymoon Bridge location. This new bridge was constructed to endure robust winds and harsh climate situations extra successfully!
The Rainbow Bridge
The previous Honeymoon Bridge had points with pedestrians and autos, and its wood deck made it particularly perilous when moist. In 1930, a tragic incident occurred when an American driver misplaced management, skidded off the bridge, and fell into the gorge.
Click on right here to discover the fascinating Niagara Falls Ice Bridge phenomenon.
Niagara Falls Honeymoon Bridge Collapse Video
The extreme 24-hour battle between ice and metal reaches its peak simply previous 4 o’clock within the afternoon, because the Falls View Worldwide Bridge dramatically collapses into the ice-packed gorge of the Niagara River. 1000’s of onlookers witnessed the majestic metal construction’s fall from either side of the gorge.
