Jacob's Creek Bridge
Coordinates: 40 ° 6 ′ 45 ″ N , 79 ° 33 ′ 11 ″ W.
| Jacob's Creek Bridge | ||
|---|---|---|
| use | Road bridge | |
| Crossing of | Jacob's Creek | |
| place | Westmoreland County and Fayette Counties, Pennsylvania border | |
| construction | Chain bridge | |
| width | 3.81 m | |
| Longest span | 21 m | |
| completion | 1801 | |
| planner | James Finley | |
| closure | 1833 | |
| location | ||
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The Jacob's Creek Bridge was the first iron chain bridge in America. In the course of a country road, she crossed Jacob's Creek on the border between Westmoreland County and Fayette County in Pennsylvania , USA .
Jacob's Creek Bridge was built in 1801 according to the plans of the farmer, politician and justice of the peace James Finley . Apart from the little-known Tibetan Chagsam Bridge , it was the first real suspension bridge in which two support chains are led over pylons and the horizontal bridge deck is attached to the support chains with hangers. It is noticeable that the wrought-iron carrying chains of Jacob's Creek Bridge reach below the bridge deck, so that the 3.80 m wide carriageway is partly carried by the chains and partly suspended from them. Jacob's Creek Bridge was the first suspension bridge ever that could be used by vehicles. It is considered the forerunner of all modern suspension bridges.
Finley described the bridge and the basic ideas behind its design in his 1809 patent.
Individual evidence
- ↑ James Finley: Finley's Chain Bridge in The Port Folio, Vol. III , pp. 440-453