On July 19 th , 2001 , the Charlotte Highway Bridge was removed from its picturesque cut stone abutments. The Charlotte Highway Bridge was designed by Buckeye Bridge Works and built by H.P. Hepburn Engr . & Contr , Cleveland, Ohio , in 1886. The bridge is a single span wrought iron double intersection Pratt through truss with pinned connections. There are few double intersection Pratt truss bridges left in Michigan . This bridge was well preserved, and the only major restoration required was the replication of ten riveted floor beams. The Charlotte Highway Bridge will be the fifth historic bridge to be erected in the Calhoun County Historic Bridge Park . The erection began October 17 th , 2005 .

At a time when Michigan 's historic metal truss bridges were being torn down and scrapped out, Dennis Randolph, Managing Director of Calhoun County Road Commission, designated a county park as a home for historic metal truss bridges. His vision has not only led to the restoration of five historic metal truss bridges for the Historic Bridge Park but to awareness by engineers, preservationists, and historians that most historic metal truss bridges can be restored to their original condition.

The Historic Bridge Park and the bridges within the park have been the subject of a number of articles in local and national publications. Recently the park was also featured in the international quarterly “Bridge Design & Engineering,” a London UK publication. The article was written by Eric DeLony , recently retired from the Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service in Washington , DC , and author of “Landmark American Bridges”.

The 180ft Charlotte Highway Bridge will span the entrance of the park. As one drives under this stately 1886 wrought iron bridge toward the park, a view of the Kalamazoo River that runs along its wooded banks is clearly seen.

Because of Mr. Randolph's vision of a home for historic metal truss bridges, a valuable record of past craftsmen has been saved for future generations. Mr. Randolph has given me an opportunity to take the skills I learned from craftsmen in steel fabrication and from my experience as a welding instructor and apply them to the restoration of historic metal truss bridges. The words of the craftsmen who fabricated these bridges are rarely recorded, and only a few of their tools remain to tell their story. Saving these historic bridges is important because few craftsmen recorded their shop experience--these historic bridges are their record.

By Vern Mesler