Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations
Bridges & Dams Road Tripping on the Lower Susquehanna River The Brooklyn Bridge, Masterpiece of Engineering Hoover Dam, Engineering Wonder Mendocino’s Albion River Bridge - Last of Her Kind Open Up the Golden Gate
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Byways Magazine ŠCopyright 2018 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher. For more than 35 years, Byways has been covering the leading destinations along the highways and byways of North America. Some of the most well-known, and least known, destinations to discover in the United States and Canada. Byways is published in three versions. They is the Turn-Key edition on the web for viewing on Computers, Android, iOS (iPhone and iPad). There is an Apple App Store edition. There is also a Byways Magazine Channel in Apple News. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine 502-785-4875 http://bywaysmagazine.com
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PREVIEW By Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher
elcome to Byways Dams and It has been called one of the Top 10 Construction Bridges issue, where we Achievements of the 20th Century. Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the explore some of the most Black Canyon of the Colorado River. It was constructed breathtaking sights along the highways between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression. and byways of North America. Such a large concrete structure had never been built In looking for a new theme to add to before, and some of the techniques were unproven. The the Byways roster, we thought about torrid summer weather and lack of facilities near the site the scenic sights of bridges that have been featured in also presented difficulties. Nevertheless, the dam was Byways through the years. And we realized that along completed two years ahead of schedule. with bridges, another iconic Hoover Dam sight that could be called impounds Lake Mead, spectacular is that of manthe largest reservoir in made dams. the United States by Take a look at this issue volume when full. The and let us know if it works. dam is located near In our view, just looking at Boulder City, Nevada, the photographs in this issue about 30 miles southjustifies the continuation of east of Las Vegas. Byways new theme. Not all bridges are Beginning in Maryland, well-known or famous. Kurt Jacobson takes us road One such bridge is the tripping along the Lower Albion River Bridge Susquehanna River. It’s which crosses the here we learn about the Albion River on Hwy Conowingo Dam, a large Hoover Dam. Photo courtesy Pexels. 1, on California’s hydroelectric dam near the Mendocino Coast. town of Conowingo, Mary Charlebois tells us that this bridge is made Maryland. Built in 1928, this was the beginning of almost entirely of wood. Her age shows a bit here and America’s great dam projects. there. Built in 1944, it’s the last remaining wooden tresWe’ve often heard jokes about the Brooklyn Bridge. tle highway bridge on the California coast, and possibly We’ve talked about this bridge. But why? What makes in the United States. it so special? We find out in this issue of Byways. We complete our coverage with what Frommer’s The Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Travel Guide describes as “possibly the most beautiful, Manhattan and Brooklyn, spanning the East River. A brilliant feat of 19th-century engineering, the Brooklyn certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world”. We’re talking about the Golden Gate Bridge, of Bridge was the first bridge to use steel for cable wire. course. The Brooklyn Bridge started construction in 1869, just Since it opened to the public in 1937, the Golden Gate four years after the end of the Civil War, and was comBridge has been called the picture-perfect landmark and pleted fourteen years later in 1883. Over the years, the an engineering marvel. It has become one of the most Brooklyn Bridge has undergone several reconfigurainternationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, tions; it formerly carried horse-drawn vehicles and eleCalifornia, and the United States. vated railway lines, but now carries vehicular, At one time it was just a dream to span nearly two pedestrian, and bicycle traffic. Commercial vehicles are miles across the Golden Gate, the narrow strait where banned from the bridge. San Francisco Bay opens to meet the Pacific Ocean. Today, the Brooklyn Bridge has become an icon of And it’s hard to believe that there could have been so New York City, ranking among the city’s most popular much opposition to the idea of building the bridge in the tourist attractions. first place. On the Arizona-Nevada border, Hoover Dam continAfter years of litigation, construction finally began in ues to draw crowds more than 80 years after its creation.
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1933, and when completed four years later the suspend- award. ed roadway, two cables, each more than 7,000 feet in Built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, it continues to length, contained 80,000 miles of wire stretching over symbolize the leading-edge innovation and technology the top of the towers. that the city is In his Highways and known for and Byways column, Bill serves as a beacon Graves travels to into the future. Oklahoma, more specifiThe Century cally Woolarock, once the Project renovation ranch-retreat of oilman included updates to Frank Phillips, as in the 56-year-old “Phillips 66”, now landmark’s physiConocoPhillips. cal systems and eleIn the rolling Osage vated the visitor Hills of northeastern experience by draOklahoma, Woolaroc matically enhanctakes its name from what ing the views. it is –- 3,600 acres of Walls, barriers and woods, lakes and rocks. even floors have We visit another engibeen removed from Golden Gate Bridge. Photo courtesy Pixnio. neering wonder in What’s the Space Needle Happening, although this and replaced with is neither a dam or a structural glass bridge, but rather a tower. revealing dramatically expanded views and a completeAfter a dramatic $100 million renovation including the ly new, multi-level guest experience. world’s first and only revolving glass floor, Seattle’s Space Needle has received a prestigious intonational Byways • 5
United States Naval Academy Undergraduate College of the U.S. Navy Guided Walking Tours include the Naval Academy Chapel, Crypt of John Paul Jones, Statue of Tecumseh and the history and traditions of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD.
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HISTORICAL, EDUCATIONAL, JEWISH CHAPEL AND MILITARY REUNION TOURS
Naval Academy Gift Shop, Restrooms, Exhibits, Film U.S. Naval Academy Campus.
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Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center (410) 293-8112 Scheduling (410) 293-3365 (fax) www.usnabsd.com/for-visitors Visitor Center Hours January-February: 9 am - 4 pm March-December 9 am - 5 pm Photo ID required, ages 18 and over
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Volume 35, Issue No. 6 2018 On the cover. The Brooklyn Bridge, connecting Brooklyn with Manhattan in New York City. For more on Dams and Bridges, turn to page 8. For more on the Brooklyn Bridge, turn to page 14. Photo courtesy Jörg Angeli on Unsplash.
Features Dams & Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Road Tripping on the Lower Susquehanna River. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Brooklyn Bridge, Masterpiece of 19th-Century Engineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Hoover Dam, Engineering Wonder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mendocino’s Albion River Bridge — Last of Her Kind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Open Up the Golden Gate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Departments Byways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
What’s Happening Seattle’s Space Needle Renovation Wins Top Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Coming in future issues of Byways ...Great American Railroads, Mountains & Valleys, Oceans, Rivers & Lakes, and much more!
Next Up: Great American Railroads. In 2019, Grand Canyon National Park is celebrating 100 years at the Grand Canyon. Since 1901 the Grand Canyon Railway has enchanted millions of people from all over the world. From its yesteryears of transporting ore to its present-day journeys transporting passengers to the canyon. Byways • 7
The Conowingo Dam is a large hydroelectric dam in the lower Susquehanna River near the town of Conowingo, Maryland. The medium-height, masonry gravity dam is one of the largest non-federal hydroelectric dams in the United States. 8 • Byways
Road Tripping on the Lower Susquehanna River By Kurt Jacobson
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The Carter-Archer House. Photos courtesy Kurt Jacobson.
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aryland has 18 scenic byways listed on the state’s tourism website. Of those choices, it would be hard to beat the Lower Susquehanna for its variety of eye-popping sites along this 33-mile loop. Whether you like history, nature, hiking, or great food, this trail is a crowd pleaser. The Susquehanna River begins its journey to the Chesapeake Bay from New York through Pennsylvania. Threading its way some 464 miles through mountains and forests, the Susquehanna is the longest river on the East Coast. We begin our journey near Shuresville Road and Highway US 1 North.
A Darn Big Dam The Conowingo Dam near Darlington, halts the river’s flow just nine miles from the mouth. This line on a map is interesting for multiple reasons. One reason is this was the beginning of America’s great dam projects. The other reason is the gathering of bald eagles each October through January. The dam was built in 1928, so the city of Philadelphia could provide much needed power for its growing electric streetcars and railways. Throughout the construction process, the mighty Susquehanna reared up and tried to wash out the dam project. In the end, mankind won out and as the river slowed the electricity flowed. When the river’s flow is strong, fish are numerous in 10 • Byways
the churning water below the dam. Where there are fish, birds are looking for a feast. Each October, bald eagles join cormorants, great blue herons, seagulls, and numerous other fowl to feast on the seafood buffet. Drive down to the Fisherman’s Park and, ditch the car to view this nature show. Pull up to a spot on the fence overlooking the river to watch the action. The number of eagles grows with the onset of cold weather up north, culminating in the largest concentration of bald eagles east of the Mississippi River. Be sure and dress accordingly. It gets brutally cold some days with strong winds wicking away body heat. Photographers flock to the river with camera gear often costing as much as a good used car. Most of these photographers are shooting for fun, not for work. I love stopping to chat with them as they usually will show off some of their best shots. Some of the best photos shown to me were of a peregrine falcon chasing a bald eagle down the river, and an eagle stealing a fish from another eagle in mid-flight. This is quite a wildlife show!
Small Town, Big History Drive back up Shures Landing Road and take a right on Shuresville Road, turning right at Route 1 to Port Deposit. Take in the views upriver and downstream as you cross the Susquehanna. This gives you a good perspective of the river. About two miles down Highway
222, stop at the Union Hotel Restaurant and Tavern. This hotel was constructed in 1794 from hemlock logs and serves modern travelers lunch, dinner, and drinks. Often a weekend biker hangout, find good times, live music, and decent food. Stop along the way to read several historical markers before arriving in Port Deposit. History is thick and rich in this tiny village. Captain John Smith landed here during his epic charting of the Chesapeake Bay in 1608 and 1609. The town got its current name in 1812, a time when logging and construction on the Susquehanna Canal had led to prosperity. The town has several parking spots for visitors in numbered lots (1-6) and the Marina Eagles in flight. Park lot. Around town note the 13 signs announcing a cell phone tour and dial for a history lesson. Onward To Havre de Grace Backfin Blues, on Main Street, is an excellent choice Drive out of Port Deposit on Highway 222 heading for lunch, dinner, and drinks. In good weather, their back southeast towards Highway 40. Just after crossing over deck is popular with locals and fills up fast. In winter, the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge, look for signs their Blazing Crab soup will warm you up before digging leading to the downtown historic district. into crab cakes, sandwiches, and steaks. Two museums, Havre de Grace has a wealth of historic sites worth Gwendolyn’s Closet gift store, and several historical seeing. Stop in at the visitor’s center at 450 Pennington markers will capture your attention as you head out of to get oriented. One of my favorite places in Havre de Port Deposit.
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Concord Point Lighthouse. Photos courtesy Kurt Jacobson. Byways • 12
Light Keepers House Havre de Grace. Grace is the Concord Point Lighthouse and Keeper’s House Museum. You should plan on spending at least 20 minutes exploring the lighthouse, museum, and all the historical displays about the War of 1812. There’s a wealth of information on the war few know much about. Havre de Grace was deeply affected by the British invasion. On May 3, 1813, the British landed and sacked the town. Chances are you’ll want to stay overnight to get the most of this road trip. Havre de Grace has a boutique hotel not to miss. The Vandiver Inn comprises three historic homes and offers road trippers a perfect location to spend the night. Downtown restaurants are within walking distance. I highly recommend the Vineyard Wine Bar. Choose from over 80 wines-by-the-glass and pair with delicious lunch and dinner offerings. Don’t miss their red wine chocolate cherry ice cream!
Close The Loop A drive upstream on Highway 155, then right on 161 takes you to Rock Run Road. Turn right and follow the road to Rock Run Grist Mill. Take time to wander the mill and Carter-Archer house soaking up the history. Afterward, find the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway Trail with its four-plus miles of hiking options. The trail has a picnic area by Deer Creek if you’re looking for a place to have lunch outdoors. At this point, you can follow the road upstream closing the loop in the town of Darlington. You have just finished traveling one of Maryland’s most scenic and
historic drives. If you didn’t hit all the historic sites, restaurants, and trails, consider coming back in a different season. You’ll find a whole new look to this historic land if you come back for another taste.
About the Author: Kurt Jacobson is a fulltime freelance travel, food, and wine writer. Kurt is a semi-retired professional chef and brings his love of all things food to his writing. With published articles in 10 magazines and over 20 websites, he spans the globe. Most visited and written about locations are Colorado, Alaska, Mid-Atlantic States, and Japan. Kurt is also a decent photographer and most of his published work features his photos. Few travel writers cover as many subjects as Kurt does. With past careers of cooking, aircraft mechanics, and a real estate professional, few subjects are off-limits. Kurt writes for Mother Earth News about organic gardening, real food, and their nature and environment sections. Kurt also publishes a blog at www.tasteoftravel2.com.
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The Brooklyn Bridge, Masterpiece of 19th Century Engineering
The Brooklyn Bridge over the East River. Photo courtesy Marivi Pazos on Unsplash. 14 • Byways
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he Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan in New York City. A brilliant feat of 19th-century engineering, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first bridge to use steel for cable wire, and during its construction explosives were used inside a pneumatic caisson for the first time The Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, spanning the East River. The Brooklyn Bridge has a main span of 1,596 feet and a height of 276.5 feet above mean high water. It is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the United States and was the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge, as well as the first fixed crossing across the East River. The Brooklyn Bridge started construction in 1869, just four years after the end of the Civil War, and was completed fourteen years later in 1883. It was originally called the New York and Brooklyn Bridge and the East River Bridge. The bridge was built with numerous passageways and compartments in its anchorages. New York City rented out the large vaults under the bridge’s Manhattan anchorage in order to fund the bridge. Opened in 1876, the vaults were used to store wine, as they were always at 60° F. This was called the “Blue Grotto” because of a shrine to the Virgin Mary next to an opening at the entrance.
Bridge Reconfigurations Over the years, the Brooklyn Bridge has undergone several reconfigurations; it formerly carried horse-drawn vehicles and elevated railway lines, but now carries vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic. Commercial vehicles are banned from the bridge. Since opening, the Brooklyn Bridge has become an icon of New York City, ranking among the city’s most popular tourist attractions. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972. Although the Brooklyn Bridge is technically a suspension bridge, it uses a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge design. The towers are built of limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement.
John Agustus Roebling and Son The bridge was conceived by German immigrant John Augustus Roebling in 1852, who spent part of the next 15 years working to sell the idea. He had previously designed and constructed shorter suspension bridges, such as Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky. The masterwork of Roebling, the Brooklyn Bridge was built in the face of immense difficulties. Roebling died as a result of an accident at the outset, and his son, Brooklyn Bridge at night. Photo courtesy Pedro Lastra on Unsplash.
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Walking the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo courtesy Rob Bye on Unsplash.
Washington Roebling, after taking over as chief engineer, suffered a crippling attack of decompression sickness (caisson disease) during the founding of the New York pier (1872). Confined to his apartment in Columbia Heights (Brooklyn), he continued to direct operations with the help of his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, observing with field glasses and sending messages to the site with her assistance.
Massive Towers
John Augustus Roebling
The bridge’s two towers were built by floating two caissons, giant upside-down boxes made of southern yellow pine, in the span of the East River, and then beginning to build the stone towers on top of them until they sank to the bottom of the river. Compressed air was pumped into the caissons, and workers entered the space to dig the sediment, until the caissons sank to the bedrock. Once the caissons had reached the desired Byways • 17
The Brooklyn Bridge. Photo courtesy Hannes Ri on Unsplash.
depth, the caissons were filled in with brick piers and concrete. The whole weight of the bridge still rests upon these constructions. When completed, the towers were the largest structures in New York City.
Bridge Opening The New York and Brooklyn Bridge was opened for use on May 24, 1883. Thousands of people attended the opening ceremony, and many ships were present in the East Bay for the occasion. President Chester A. Arthur and Mayor Franklin Edson 18 • Byways
View from Brooklyn. Photo courtesy Jeffrey Bary.
crossed the bridge to celebratory cannon fire and were greeted by Brooklyn Mayor Seth Low when they reached the Brooklyn-side tower. Arthur shook hands with Washington Roebling at the latter’s home, after the ceremony. On that first day, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed what was then the only land passage between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Emily Warren Roebling was the first to cross the bridge. The bridge’s main span over the East River is 1,596 feet. The bridge cost $15.5 million in 1883 dollars ($388,090,841 in today’s dollars) to build, and 27 men died during its construction.
The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge is detailed in The Great Bridge (1972), the book by David McCullough, and in Brooklyn Bridge (1981), the first PBS documentary film by Ken Burns. Burns drew heavily on McCullough’s book for the film and used him as narrator. It is also described in Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, a BBC docudrama series with an accompanying book, as well as the book Chief Engineer: Washington Roebling, The Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge (2017). Today, more than 120,000 vehicles, 4,000 pedestrians, and 3,100 cyclists cross the bridge each day. References to “selling the Brooklyn Bridge” abound in American culture, sometimes as examples of rural gulliNamed The Brooklyn Bridge bility but more often in connection with an idea that In 1915, the city government officially named the strains credulity. For example, “If you believe that, I’ve structure the “Brooklyn Bridge”, a name first mentioned got a bridge to sell you.” in print in a January 1867 letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
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The Brooklyn Bridge as viewed from Washington Street in Brooklyn. Photo courtesy Carl Solder on Upsplash. Byways • 19
Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves
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n Oklahoma, a roustabout is as common as a cowboy in Montana or a lobster fisherman in Maine. It’s a trade found here in the oil patch. A physically demanding job, often dangerous, roustabouts work around drilling rigs. Andy Park is a roustabout; that’s his day job. But when I met him he was playing bluegrass on a mandolin accompanied by the rest of his family – his wife Roseanne, on the bass fiddle, and up to five kids. “Andy has always played music. It’s been a part of our kids lives,” Roseanne told me. “But when we took them to the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival in Guthrie a few years back, they came home really charged up. And they were just little kids. The next thing you know, Andy is buying guitars, banjos and fiddles. They took lessons, worked hard, won scholarships for more lessons, and on it goes to this day.” Their 15-year-old daughter Paige started with the fiddle at the age of five. “That’s too young,” her mother
Woolaroc, Oklahoma said. “I literally had to take the lessons with her.” But Paige was winning statewide talent contests by the time she was 12. “Paige loves music and plans way beyond today. She wants to play back-up fiddle with Taylor Swift by the time she is 17.” “Why backup,” I asked, assuming that was like playing “second-fiddle”? “She says that she wants to play music with the best, but not be in the spotlight…wants to be able to still go into WalMart and not be recognized.” They play mostly on weekends at bluegrass festivals. With five kids, Andy has been known to say, “We play for food, depending on what your havin’.” I have been to a few bluegrass festivals. They go on for days and are like RV campouts. Usually held at small-town fairgrounds where there is plenty of parking, people come as much to make music as to listen to it – it’s a thin line between the “grinners” and “pickers”. Offstage groups probably outnumber those on-stage by 10 to one. Accompanied by the hum of an occasional generator, bluegrass permeates the camping area beginning at cof-
Today Woolaroc is a Western Art Museum, a wildlife refuge, and a Heritage Center. Photos courtesy Bill Graves.
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fee time, through happy-hour and well into the dark hours when campfires smother the chill. The “grinners” mill around as if in fear of missing something really good. Many carry folding chairs so when they find it, they stay. But this was no bluegrass festival: I met the Parks at an evening charity event at a wilderness spread called Woolarock – once the ranch-retreat of oilman Frank Phillips, as in Phillips 66, now ConocoPhillips. The Parks were playing for a few hundred mingling Oklahomans, most of them from nearby Bartlesville. In the rolling Osage Hills of northeastern Oklahoma, Woolaroc takes its name from what it is – 3,600 acres of woods, lakes and rocks. In the 1920s it was a rustic haven, yet a showplace of wild-west elegance. There
Andy Park and family. freely. As do we who visit. Tastefully displayed at Woolaroc is the lifestyle of a man who ascended from small-town barber to worldprominence as an industrialist and philanthropist — only in America. And in case you didn’t know, our country is also the home of bluegrass music.
Woolaroc is 3,600 acres of woods, lakes and rocks. Phillips entertained the famous and the influential of the last century. It was almost a second home for Will Rogers, as well as Indians, cowboys, even outlaws. Endowed by the Phillips, Woolaroc is today an anomaly: a Western Art Museum, a wildlife refuge, a Heritage Center and the elegant one-time home of the Phillips, all linked by miles of nature trails. The animals here — elk, deer, longhorn cattle, bison and wild mustangs — roam
About the author: After seeing much of the world as a career naval officer, Bill Graves decided, after he retired, to take a closer look at the United States. He has been roaming the country for 20 years, much of it in a motorhome with his dog Rusty. He lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and is the author of On the Back Roads, Discovering Small Towns. of America. He can be reached at Roadscribe@aol.com.
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Hoover Dam, Engineering Wonder
View from Hoover Dam, looking toward Mike O’Callaghan– Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge and Colorado River. 22 • Byways
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Aerial view of Hoover Dam, the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge and Lake Mead. Photo courtesy Ubergirl on Wikimedia. Since about 1900, the Black Canyon and nearby Boulder Canyon had been investigated for their potential to support a dam that would control floods, provide irrigation water and produce hydroelectric power. In 1928, Congress authorized the project. The winning bid to build the dam was submitted by a consortium called Six Companies, Inc., which began construction on the dam in early 1931. As part of the contract, Six Companies, Inc. was to build Boulder City to house the workers. Such a large concrete structure had never been built before, and some of the techniques were unproven. The torrid summer weather and lack of facilities near the site also presented difficulties. Nevertheless, Six Companies turned the dam over to the federal government on March Construction Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the 1, 1936, more than two years ahead of schedule. Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between Nevada and Arizona. It was constructed River Diversion Before the dam could be built, the Colorado River between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and needed to be diverted away from the construction site. To was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President accomplish this, four diversion tunnels were driven Franklin D. Roosevelt. through the canyon walls, two on the Nevada side and Its construction was the result of a massive effort two on the Arizona side. These tunnels were 56 ft in involving thousands of workers, and cost over one hundred lives. Originally known as Boulder Dam from diameter. Their combined length was nearly 16,000 ft, or 1933, it was officially renamed Hoover Dam, for more than 3 miles. Following the completion of the dam, the entrances to President Herbert Hoover, by a joint resolution of the two outer diversion tunnels were sealed at the openCongress in 1947. 24 • Byways
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amed one of the Top 10 Construction Achievements of the 20th Century, Hoover Dam continues to draw crowds more than 80 years after its creation. Attracting more than a million visitors a year, Hoover Dam is located in Black Canyon, 35 miles from Las Vegas. On April 20, 1931, construction began on the Hoover Dam, the largest of its kind at the time. Despite the remote location and harsh working conditions, it was completed on March 1, 1936 in less than five years — two years ahead of schedule — and well under budget.
A total of 3,250,000 cubic yards of concrete was used in the dam before concrete pouring ceased on May 29, 1935. In addition, 1,110,000 cubic yards were used in the power plant and other works. More than 582 miles of cooling pipes were placed within the concrete. Overall, there is enough concrete in the dam to pave a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York.
Hard Hats Falling rock from the canyon walls were a constant threat to workers. Many dipped their hats in tar and let them dry, creating a form of hard hat to protect themselves Management liked the idea so much, all workers were ordered to wear hard hats. Thus was created the concept of hard hats for construction workers. There were 112 deaths reported as associated with the construction of the dam.
Power Plant In the latter half of 1936, water levels in Lake Mead Hoover Dam with the flood gates open. were high enough to permit Photo courtesy U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. power generation, and the first three Allis Chalmersing and halfway through the tunnels with large concrete built Francis turbine-generators, all on the Nevada side, plugs. The downstream halves of the tunnels following began operating. In March 1937, one more Nevada genthe inner plugs are now the main bodies of the spillway erator went online and the first Arizona generator by tunnels. August. By September 1939, four more generators were The first concrete was poured into the dam on June 6, operating, and the dam’s power plant became the largest 1933, 18 months ahead of schedule. Since concrete heats hydroelectricity facility in the world. and contracts as it cures, the potential for uneven cooling and contraction of the concrete posed a serious problem. Lake Mead Bureau of Reclamation engineers calculated that if the Hoover Dam impounds Lake Mead, the largest reserdam were to be built in a single continuous pour, the con- voir in the United States by volume when full. The dam crete would take 125 years to cool, and the resulting is located near Boulder City, Nevada, about 30 miles stresses would cause the dam to crack and crumble. southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. Instead, the ground where the dam would rise was The dam’s generators provide power for public and marked with rectangles, and concrete blocks in columns private utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California. were poured, some as large as 50 ft square and 5 feet The heavily traveled U.S. Route 93 ran along the high. dam’s crest until October 2010, when the Hoover Dam Byways • 25
Tour group gathers around one of the dam’s giant generators in September, 1940. Photo courtesy U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Bypass opened. It provided two lanes for automobile Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, it was closed to the traffic across the top of the dam, which formerly served public when the United States entered World War II. as the Colorado River crossing for U.S. Route 93. During the war only authorized traffic, in convoys, was permitted. After the war, it reopened September 2, 1945.
Hoover Dam Bypass
Completed in October 2010, the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge offers spectacular views of the dam and Lake Mead that were once only available by helicopter. Visitors have access to drive to this bridge and see the dam from a high vantage point. Located about 1,500 feet south of the Hoover Dam, the walkway on the bridge is approximately 900 feet above the Colorado River. Those taking ground transportation tours to the Grand Canyon will be able to cross the bridge, but not stop on the bridge.
Tourism Today Hoover Dam is a major tourist attraction with some one million visitors touring the dam each year. Hoover Dam opened for tours in 1937 after its completion, but following Japan’s attack on 26 • Byways
Dam forms being filled with cement in 1934. Photo courtesy U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
The dam closed again to the public on September 11, 2001. Modified tours were resumed in December and a new “Discovery Tour” was added the following year. Tours of the dam are offered by the Bureau of Reclamation. Increased security concerns by the government have led to most of the interior structure being inaccessible to tourists.
The Hoover Dam Power Plant Tour This tour is broken up into several components at numerous locations. The unique tour format allows guests to pick and choose which locations they want to see and the complete tour generally lasts about two hours. The Hoover Dam Power Plant Tour begins with a brief video show depicting the history of Hoover Dam and how it came to be. Afterwards, a guide will escort you to an elevator for a 500-foot descent to get an upclose look at the power plant generators housed at the base of the dam. Guests will also see the original diversion tunnels and stand atop a giant, 30-foot pipe where they can feel the rumble of Colorado River water racing through it.
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Hoover Dam Tour The second tour option is the new Dam Tour. Visitors can enjoy all the options of the Power Plant Tour (including access to the visitor’s center, observation deck and original Hoover Dam exhibit building), but they will also get to experience a unique and intimate tour of the dam itself. The tour continues with an unprecedented look inside the dam, entering through the inspection tunnels. Visitors will be able to see inspection markings written on the walls from decades past and then see the vents down onto the river below. After the inspection tunnels, guests will get to go deeper into the dam and see the seepage gallery and a set of antique stairs. This is the ultimate tour for those interested in the Hoover Dam. Hoover Dam was recognized as a National Civil Engineering Landmark in 1984. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985.
Aerial view of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. Photo courtesy Chris Lawton on Unsplash.
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Mendocino’s Albion River Bridge — Last of Her Kind By Mary Charlebois
Photos of the Albion River Bridge courtesy Mary Charlebois.
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he’s made almost entirely of wood. Her age shows a bit here and there. She’s tall and thin as bridges go, and she hasn't kept up with the times. Even with her flaws, this old trestle is a stunning beauty that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in the California Register of Historic Places. The Albion River Bridge crosses the Albion River on Hwy 1, on California’s Mendocino Coast. Built in 1944, it’s the last remaining wooden trestle highway bridge on the California coast, and possibly in the United States. The bridge is 969-feet long, 26-feet wide, and sits 150feet above Albion River where it empties into the Pacific. Albion River has been crossed by a bridge since 1861. Then, at the mouth of the river was a lumber mill receiving logs floated downriver from mountain forest. Several bridges were built to cross the ravine, but all were dreadfully low, requiring bridge approach roads to be negotiated at precarious inclines and hairpin turns. During WW II the current bridge was erected. The bridge was initially planned as a concrete arch, but concrete and steel were in short supply during the war. It was redesigned as a wooden trestle. Even though trees were 28 • Byways
plentiful in the area, some wood and other materials had to be salvaged. The only steel used were reclaimed train tracks and a beam from a demolished Feather River bridge. When opened to traffic in 1944, it was the longest bridge structure on the coast. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced between 2019 and 2021. The deck is considered too narrow for modern-sized cars, and the railing is too low. The steel girder is corroding and needs to be replaced. Some folks don’t want to see the old bridge destroyed. There’s hope it will be left standing as a pedestrian causeway. Whether it remains or is taken down, now is the time to see and photograph this unique and historic bridge in all her grandeur. About the Author: Mary Charlebois is a freelance journalist and photographer. Her home base is the north coast of California. Her travels include domestic and international destinations. See more of her work at MaryGo.
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Open Up The Golden Gate
A container ship moves under the Golden Gate Bridge on its journey from the Far East. Photo courtesy Pexels. Byways • 31
Spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline through Golden Gate Bridge. ©2010 Scott Chernis Photography. Courtesy SanFranciscoTravel. The Golden Gate Bridge, opened to the public in 1937, an Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge spans nearly has endured as a picture-perfect landmark and an engitwo miles across the Golden Gate, the narrow strait neering marvel. The bridge carries both U.S. Route 101 where San Francisco Bay opens to meet the Pacific and California State Route 1 across the strait. It has Ocean. become one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, California, and the United States. The Dream Frommer’s Travel Guide describes the Golden Gate The dream of connecting San Francisco to its northern Bridge as “possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most neighbors became a reality when construction comphotographed, bridge in the world”. menced in 1933. Given the chance for steady employThe job of building the bridge went to a Chicago-based ment amid the Great Depression, construction crews engineer named Joseph Strauss. A drawbridge builder, braved treacherous conditions as the roadway and towStrauss believed he could complete the grand-scale projers took shape over open water. Before the bridge was built, the only practical short ect for under $30 million. After submitting his sketches route between San Francisco and what is now Marin for a cantilever-suspension hybrid span in June 1921, County was by boat across a section of San Francisco Strauss set about convincing the communities on the Bay. A ferry service began as early as 1820, with a regu- northern end of the strait that the bridge would be to their larly scheduled service beginning in the 1840s for the benefit. purpose of transporting water to San Francisco. The Sausalito Land and Ferry Company service, launched in Fierce Opposition The Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District, 1867, eventually became the Golden Gate Ferry Company, a Southern Pacific Railroad subsidiary, and authorized by an act of the California Legislature, was had become the largest ferry operation in the world by incorporated in 1928 as the official entity to design, construct, and finance the Golden Gate Bridge. the late 1920s. Despite the economic promises touted by its support32 • Byways
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ers, the project met fierce resistance from an array of business and civic leaders. Not only would the bridge impede the shipping industry and mar the bay’s natural beauty, they argued, it wouldn’t survive a temblor like the San Francisco Earthquake that crippled the city in 1906. The Department of War was concerned that the bridge would interfere with ship traffic. The navy feared that a ship collision or sabotage to the bridge could block the entrance to one of its main harbors. Unions demanded guarantees that local workers would be favored for construction jobs. Southern Pacific Railroad, one of the most powerful business interests in California, opposed the bridge as competition to its ferry fleet and filed a lawsuit against the project, leading to a mass boycott of the ferry service. Years of litigation followed as opponents sought to block bridge construction.
Construction Construction commenced on January 5, 1933, with the excavation of 3.25 million cubic feet of dirt to establish the bridge’s 12-story-tall anchorages. The crew consisted of virtually anyone capable of withstanding the physical rigors of the job, as out-of-work cab drivers, farmers, and clerks lined up for the chance to earn steady wages as ironworkers and cement mixers.
The project cost more than $35 million, ($680 million in todays dollars.) completing ahead of schedule and $1.3 million under budget. The attempt to build what would be the first bridge support in the open ocean proved an immense challenge. As a 1,100-foot trestle extended off the San Francisco side, divers plunged to depths of 90 feet through strong currents to blast away rock and remove detonation debris. The suspended roadway, two cables, each more than 7,000 feet in length and both containing 80,000 miles of wire stretch over the top of the towers and are rooted in concrete anchorages on shore. The roadway was completed on April 19, 1937, and the bridge officially opened to pedestrians on May 27 of that year. As part of the festivities, Strauss dedicated a poem titled “A Mighty Task Is Done”. The bridge-opening celebration began on May 27, 1937, and lasted for one week. The day before vehicle traffic was allowed, 200,000 people crossed either on foot or on roller skates. Safety during construction was a primary concern, and nets were placed everywhere to protect the workers. Of eleven men killed from falls during construction, ten were killed on February 17, 1937, when the bridge was near completion and the net failed under the stress of a scaffold that had fallen. Golden Gate in fog. Photo courtesy Joshua Earle on Unsplash.
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View from the South Tower looking north into Marin County. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Creative Commons.
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A marvel of modern engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long and 90 feet wide. Its 4,200-foot main span between the two towers was the longest for a suspension bridge until 1981, while its 746-foot towers made it the tallest bridge of any type until 1993. Since 1964 its main span length has been surpassed by thirteen bridges and now has the second-longest main span in the United States, after the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York City.
International Orange The color of the bridge is officially an orange vermilion called international orange. The color was selected by consulting architect Irving Morrow because it complements the natural surroundings and enhances the bridge’s visibility in fog. The Golden Gate Bridge withstood the destructive Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, and was closed to traffic only three times in its first 75 years due to weather conditions. Believed to be the most photographed bridge in the world, this landmark was named one of the seven civil engineering wonders of the United States by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994.
General Visitor Information A visitor center and gift shop, dubbed the “Bridge Pavilion”, is located on the San Francisco side of the bridge, adjacent to the southeast parking lot. Pedestrians including wheelchair users and bicyclists can go on the sidewalks of the bridge during daylight hours but roller blades, skateboards and roller skates are not permitted. There are vista points on both north and south sides of the bridge with parking lots. For information on sidewalk closures due to construction, visit goldengatebridge.org/bikesbridge/bikes.php
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Seattle’s Space Needle Renovation Wins Top Award
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Seattle’s Space Needle with Mount Rainier in the background. Photo courtesy Chad Copeland.
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Visitors take a selfie on the Space Needle’s open-air observation deck, located 520-feet in the air. Photos courtesy Seattle Space Needle.
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ollowing a dramatic $100 million renovation including the world’s first and only revolving glass floor, the Space Needle received a prestigious award bestowed by the World Federation of Great Towers (WFGT), an international association of great towers including some of the world’s most recognizable structures such as the Eiffel Tower and Empire State Building.
About the Space Needle The Space Needle is the celebrated icon of Seattle, second only to the Eiffel Tower in Paris as the most easilyidentified global skyline feature. Built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, it continues to symbolize the leading-edge innovation and technology that the city is known for and serves as a beacon into the future. Extreme ingenuity was required to complete the massive renovation 520 feet in the air, while remaining largely open to the the public during construction.
Renovation In September 2017, the Space Needle started its multi-year renovation venture. The $100 million remodel, called Century Project, included updates to the 56-yearold landmark’s physical systems and elevated the visitor experience by dramatically enhancing the views. Walls, barriers and even floors have been removed 38 • Byways
Visitors take photos of the downward views from the Space Needle’s Oculus Stairway.
from the Space Needle and replaced with structural glass revealing dramatically expanded views and a completely new, multi-level guest experience. With 196% more glass, including ten different varieties, designers created an immersive adventure featuring the world’s first and only glass revolving floor.
Sitting on air at the Space Needle.
Open Air Glass Panels Open-air glass panels dip out at a slight 14-degree angle with no seams between them, leaving nothing but air between visitors and the dramatic Puget Sound view. “This renovation employed first of its kind technology, just Fair, and are still key to how the Space Needle has been like when the Space Needle was originally built in reinvented for the future.” 1962,” said Karen Olson, CMO of the Space Needle. For additional information, visit “Ingenuity and innovation were key to how the Space https://www.spaceneedle.com Needle was originally designed and built for the World’s
Visitors sit on glass panels with clear view of the ground below.
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Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America. Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators /Travel Trade through the Internet. Subscriptions are complimentary. An iPad & iPhone version is available for consumers in iTunes in the App Store. An Android browser version is available at www.issuu.com/byways. Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, selected travel agents, bank travel managers, school band and athletic planners, meeting planners and the travel trade. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine at 502-785-4875. ©Copyright 2018 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher. Editor and Publisher Stephen M. Kirchner
Advertising Director 502-785-4875 Internet bywaysmagazine.com byways@motorcoach.com Byways on Facebook Byways on Twitter
Advertisers Index Dutchess Tourism, New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Randolph County, West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Spectrum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Springfield Tourism, Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 United States Naval Academy Visitor Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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