National Trust Preservation Grant Awarded to NSRGA

National Trust for Historic Preservation Awards The N. Skunk River Greenbelt Association (NSRGA) a Preservation Grant from National Trust Preservation Funds Site Survey for the 1883 McIntyre Bowstring Bridge Restoration at Millgrove Access Wildlife Area

Grinnell, Iowa (­March 15, 2011)—Today, the N. Skunk River Greenbelt Association (NSRGA) was awarded a $1,950 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from the Dr. Frank Henry Landes Fund for Iowa. The seed grant funds will be used to hire the Spicer Group from Saginaw, Michigan to produce a survey work plan for the McIntyre Bridge at Millgrove Access, including a site survey and ACAD drawings.

The McIntyre Bowstring is currently in the engineering phase of the project. Spicer Group was chosen because of their experience working with historic truss bridges in Michigan. Spicer will provide a general rehabilitation plan as well as the site survey required for all projects to move forward with the goal of having the bridge reset by the Fall of 2011.

"Without organizations like NSRGA, communities and towns all across America would have a diminished sense of place," said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "The National Trust for Historic Preservation is honored to provide a grant to NSRGA, which will use the funds to help preserve an important piece of our shared heritage."

The National Trust for Historic Preservation dispenses small grants for local projects through the National Trust Preservation Funds grant program. The grants range from $500 to $5,000 and have provided over $5.5 million dollars of funding since 2002. They are awarded to nonprofit groups, educational institutions and public agencies, and must be matched, at least dollar for dollar, with public or private funds. Preservation Funds grants are being used nationally for such wide-ranging activities as consultant services for rehabilitating buildings, technical assistance for tourism that promotes historic resources and educating children about their heritage. These grants are often the deciding factor on whether historic buildings or sites can be saved for future generations.

For more information on National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Fund grants, visit: www.PreservationNation.org/resources/find-funding/grants/.

About the N. Skunk River Greenbelt Association

NSRGA was formed in 2010 dedicated to the preservation of the 1883 King Iron Bridge bowstring truss and the greenbelt area that surrounds it. NSRGA works with the Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors and the Poweshiek County Conservation Board making sure that the end result, the reset of the bowstring, will coincide with an area that meets the needs of the population of central Iowa. Donations are tax deductible and can be made online at www.skunkriverbridge.org or mailed to NSRGA PO Box 332, Grinnell, IA 50112.

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.PreservationNation.org) is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, nine regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.

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Fundraising

It's true folks, we really need funds to continue this process. Most of the historic preservation funds have been cut in half which means that we have to start thinking outside of the box in order to get this bridge up and over the river that it is supposed to cross.

You can help by making a donation to NSRGA - PO Box 332, Grinnell, IA 50112 It is tax deductible.

Marching On

Engineering continues. We received a grant from the Landes Fund to help with the site survey. That is good. What we need now is money to fund matching grants. Can you help?

The website is up at www.skunkriverbridge.org

Engineers

Just today I spoke with two engineers, one a new one to the bowstring project, the other who has been with the project since the bridge was standing. We are moving forward with two diverse engineering needs, one a site - survey, and the other the rehabilitation plan for the bowstring.

Look how far we have come in just a year. Want to invite you to our website at www.skunkriverbridge.org for more information.

Happy New Year

Been awhile since I've posted here. Have set up a page on facebook, Workin' Bridges, and have a new website at www.skunkriverbridge.org

It's been a long year and looking forward to a successful resetting of our bowstring in 2011.

Bridge Transport - Phase 2 Begins

I can't believe that it has been two months since the last posting. The bridge, since that time, has been extracted from the water, using heat and force and really big equipment. I learned a lot about choking, and hand signals, and persistance. This was no easy task.

The actual extraction took 3 out of 4 weeks. The first week, the guy in the water in the picture, Nels Raynor, owner of BACH Structural and Ornamental Steel, was in the water for hours without a wet suit. The water got colder and the wet suit was purchased. This is part of the eyebar that got twisted under the bridge.

We determined that she did not go down as gracefully as I might have wished. I had envisioned her floating off and gently hitting a tree/bank and settling down as the waters subsided. No, it was more like she fell to her knees and the force of the water kept pushing her backside on by.

No worries, he's seen worse. I admit to being pretty dismayed when he used the words "it's a mangled mess".

Now she has been transported to Michigan, weeks were spent laying her out, and itemizing the parts, how much we have left to support our continued existence on the historic register and access to funding through the State Historic Preservation Office. Still waiting.

Have applied for other public and private domain grants and charitable giving and will continue that process through December. More news tomorrow as we get ready to launch "Working Bridges".

The Big Bridge Lift

Six months later than planned and underwater, the Skunk River Bridge (McIntyre) started to come out of the water this week. WOW. Sunday saw Bill Bushong with a dozer clearing the trail to the bridge and filling in the holes. Monday saw Bill Bushong filling in the cuts on the road with rock and continuing to clear the area around the bridge extraction. Nels Raynor from BACH Ornamental and Structural Steel, arrived with his welding box and trailering equipment and one worker to find that the SKYTRACK just couldn't make it back to the bridge. It sunk to it's hubs. Then Bill called Charlie Sheets of Sheets Excavating and soon enough Charlie and Luis Mendoza were on hand to haul that SKYTRAK out of there, replacing it with a huge excavator with a hook on the bucket. And that was that. Over those 4 days, Nels was able to pull a lot of stuff out of that river, including IRON. There are a lot of trees with rootballs that got tangled in the safety cable and the lateral bracing rods to create a mangled mess.

But perseverance furthers and although we are not done yet, it was not for lack of trying. Nels and Shane will be back next week to finish the job, hopeful that while it is a bit colder the river will be a bit lower and the rest of the top channel can be pulled out of the water.

More is always being revealed. The craftsman's record on this Bridge in a Box was told by Marlin Ingalls from Univ. Of Iowa. As an archaeologist and Iowa history buff we learned that this creek is 500,000 years old and that the top 8' of ground is just stuff that was silted in. In this already disturbed site the top 4' of silting in from the last years is very soft.

This morning, after playing guard duty for the weekend, a deer darted across the heron's pond, not very deep that pond. It was a great way to start the day.

Go HAWKS!