Rock House Ford Bridge, Spanning North Moreau River at County Road 39, Russellville, Cole County, MO

Significance: Built as a cooperative venture between Cole and Moniteau counties, the Rock House Ford Bridge is one of the few pin-connected Parker trusses remaining in use on Missouri's roadways. Thousands of pinned trusses were built across the state during an intense period of bridge construction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most featured straight-chorded Pratt configurations. After the turn of the century, however, bridge manufacturers found a greater economy in polygonal-chorded Pratt variants (particularly the Parker truss) for long-span applications. Among these, the Rock House Ford Bridge is noteworthy for its visually dramatic siting and pristine state of preservation. With its pinned configuration and 177-foot span, it is not unique among Missouri's early roadway spans. Rather, the significance of this structure accrues from its representation of early wagon/auto bridge construction. It is among the longest and best-preserved trusses in Missouri: an outstanding example of a now-uncommon structural type.
Survey number: HAER MO-78
Building/structure dates: 1907-1908 Initial Construction