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!

New Hope

It's always nice when despair and not knowing are replaced by a path forward. That path has been created by the Michigan bridge lovers. I called Vern Mesler on the day that the I found that our bridge had been swept downstream. Even though Vern had told me that they could fix the bridge, even if it was in the water, it was a sobering reality.

Then the guys from BACH Steel came to visit, and within days had made two site visits, and established a quote for removal of the bridge from the river and shipping to Michigan for repair. At one point I had thought that we could do the work in Iowa, but coming up to speed with all of the equipment, the shop and the extraordinary skills of these guys would be nearly impossible. Might be possible for me to help and learn some of these skills so that we Iowans can start to compete in historic bridge preservation.

I am currently in Michigan, checking out BACH Steel references, visiting Vern's Historic Bridge Park and on my way back checking out the Wabash & Erie Canal Park that another group has not only restored a bridge but built canal boats. We can do this. I have been convinced and the vision of a newly restored Skunk River Bridge is etched in my mind. Once one has a vision one can move forward.

from the Grinnell Herald Register 8/9/2010

Current plans suggest McDowell
bowstring bridge may be restored in place

August 9, 2010 (retyped as there is no on-line paper)

The McDowell Bridge, the iron bowstring in the Millgrove Access Wildlife Area, has withstood nature’s 2010 onslaught thus far, continuing to span the North Skunk River in southwestern Poweshiek County. The county and The North Skunk River Greenbelt Association (NSRGA) are negotiating terms under which NSRGA can move forward with proposed restoration of the bridge, damaged last year by an ice jam. NSRGA is also researching what the bridge needs and who can perform the tasks and has scheduled a fundraiser for Saturday, Aug 28, to generate donations to fund restoration.

Julie Bowers, executive director of NSRGA, says the organization has received opinions from several engineers that the bridge may not need to be lifted from its piers and set on dry ground as originally planned while work to restore it is performed. She names Mark Latsch of Spicer Engineering, Saginaw, Mich., and Justin Clausen of Peterson Contractors, Inc. (PCI) of Reinbeck as offering the opinion that the bridge can be restored in place. Vern Mesler, a steel fabricator and expert in historic metals, also from Michigan, held a workshop in restoration of 19th century metal in late June nd also suggested the bridge could be restored in place.

Bowes says NSRGA’s current thinking is that the restoration work could be performed in late fall or early winter when the river is low and the ground firm. The organization is working with engineers to define a scope of work so workers with the requisite qualifications can be found for the project. She notes that PCI, the company that was going to lift the bridge to dry land for restoration, remains interested in bidding on future projects, depending on the scope of work. She adds that Mesler, an expert in old metals, is devising techniques to use on the McDowell bridge’s urgent needs, which include pack rust and riveting.

“It’s different steel than what we’d use today, “ says Poweshiek County Engineer Lyle Brehm of the challenge of restoring the McDowell Bridge. “The steel would have been made under different quality controls that we have today. Restoring it will be an uphill battle, not impossible but uphill.”

“It exposes the people working on the bridge to more danger when the bridge is left in place,” he observes of the current plan not to lift the bridge to nearby ground. “Otherwise you could set it on the ground and work onit at ground level. It will be harder to brace it if it remains in place. And, if things fall apart on you all of a sudden, it falls farther than if the bridge was on the ground. It’s not impossible to do, but it does create additional complications.”

“Julie should be saluted for having the tenacity to continue on with the project,” Brehm says of Bowers.

The Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors and NSRGA discussed drafts of possible leases granting permission for NSRGA to work on county land at several supervisor meetings in July. Bowers expects to be returning to the supervisors soon with another draft. NSRGA’s board met on Aug. 5 to vote on the latest draft. The board consists of R.V. Bowes, president,; Bill Bushong, vice president; Lamoyne Gaard, county representative; Diane Eakins, secretary; and Gary Gibson, treasurer.

“My job as county attorney is to insure that we have a lease that will protect the county from liability for what happens during the restoration and repair of the bridge,” explains Michael Mahaffey, Poweshiek County attorney and involved in the negotiations with NSRGA. “The county is not a cross-purposes with NSRGA but, as is the case with any lease, the details have to be worked out.

“it is my position that a lease protects the county but also reflects the true natures of what is happening which is that NSRGA is going to be using public ground and have its agents working on public ground during this period of time,” Mahaffey points out. “As the landlord Poweshiek County needs to make sure that the tenant has liability insurance during the period of the tenancy. If they didn’t have liability insurance and somebody was working out there, there could be some liability on the part of Poweshiek County if there was any kind of unfortunate accident.

“The company that will be working on the restoration and its employees wll assume a certain risk in doing this job,” Mahaffey adds. “The company also needs to be able to show us that they’ve got insurance that will cover their actions during the period of repair and restoration. “

“As to the bridge itself we’re going to sell the bridge to NSRGA during the period of time that the work is being done on the bridge,” Mahaffey continues. “When the work is completed, they’re going to sell it back to us,:

Mahaffey makes the distinction that the bridge in law is personal property while the land around and under it is real property, leading to the lease for the land and sale for a dollar of the bridge.

Bowers plans to appear at this week’s Poweshiek County Conservation Board meeting Aug. 10 to ask the board to make a commitment to allocate resources to the bridge once it is restored.

NSRGA has announced a fund raising event known as Bridge Fest 2010 to be held at John and Gary’s Game Time from noon to midnight on Saturday, Aug. 28. Bowers expects number of musicians will play during the event, including David Zollo and the Body Electric from the Iowa City area, Gordy Sumner from Grinnell also known as Crossroads; CPR of Marshalltown, Supposable Thumbs with Chris Sutliff and other Grinnellians; Flannel which features Ryan Bernemann originally from Grinnell and Scott Cochran; and Thankful Dirt composed of Darren and Molly Matthews from Des Moines. Tickets to the event will cost $15, available at Game Time and The Music Shop, and NSRGA also plans to have an art fair, a flea market, a dunk tank, bake sale and heavy metals recycling along with tee-shirts and cookbooks for sale.

August

Plans go forth for the Bridge Fest 2010. Plans go forth for the engineers scope of work. Two more documents for a purchase of a bridge and the lease of the land have been created and are in the legal eagles hands and the agenda for tomorrows meeting has been created.

Flooding around the bridge again yesterday as I escorted a rep from Silo's and Smokestacks to the area. We couldn't get down there, and I think I scared her with my fast driving on back roads but we ended up at Wagaman Mill. They had been damaged by a log banging through the iron fence into the door and Garnet was happy I called. The rep suggested making them sister's to river fun raising and I spoke with Garnet again about that this morning.

Progress is furthering.!)

Wow,

Another month passed with frustrations mounting regarding the County's granting of access to us to fix the bridge.

It looks like it may not need a lift after all. Working on the scope now and maybe by Thursday we will be able to move forward.

The middle of June - Almostfo

It has been a few busy weeks here in Iowa. Planning for Vern's Historic Metals Workshop goes forward. We have a few people that say they will sign up. If we get 10 that would be great. Just last night a college student was very interested, so we will see. The good thing is that we have very nearly covered the costs of the workshop with the music on Tuesday nights at Lonnski's. And that money is being matched to a grant from Brownell's Inc. in Montezuma. They see a community effort and reward it. Yeah for our team.

Our transition from the umbrella of GPCF should be finished by June 15. Things take so long, it can be quite frustrating. But waiting and being patient allows for others to catch up and hopefully have time to commit to the team.

The bridge lift is still scheduled for early July, when water flows go down. If we get the SHPO grant, the engineering will commence immediately and because we will have our legal stuff complete by then, we should be able to go forward with some restoration.

Grants Delivered

You know there is just something about hand delivery to the right person on the day the application is due. But it took every ounce of intent to get this application done correctly, and I'm glad that I took the time to go back over the guide just to make sure that I had done the math right. And, I had not. Had to go back and do it all over again, and I still don't know that I did it spot on. I found one date mistake and one extra period when I reread the entire thing, after delivery of course. I couldn't have found that one if I had tried before printing. The search for perfection goes on. Making sure that I have the PepsiRefresh grant ready to go so that can be sent in directly on June 1. Grinnell responds pretty well to online surveys and we all have a lot of circles of friends that I know will help. One never knows. You just have to show up, that is one of the lessons of the Grateful Dead. You can't have that kind of fun unless you show up.

Now the waiting game, for GMRC, for SHPO, for Music, Fun and Food....

I was just enlightened on the politics of YES. Here is what I learned, the County said yes, because why not. No one expected us to make this happen and yet here we are happening! and then the powers that be wanting to be in power start going, "oh, but wait"!. sorry, not waiting....you should have taken me seriously long before this.

Mid May - Reallly?

We are now our own official non-profit with a bank account to accept donations. Woo Hoo. It takes a long time to get most things done around here. I'm not quite sure why, business doesn't move this slowly, perhaps it should.

Anyway, life goes on. Requested 7000 from GMRC to fund the music that funds the funds for the fundraisers. Should know on that sometime next week. Putting in the HDRP grant on Wednesday, a full 5 days before it is due on the 17th. that is good too.

I have Vern's Historic Metals Seminar outline and am just looking for the welding lab to do the work in. Anybody close to Grinnell a welder? Give me a call.

June 29 & 30
8am - 5 pm
$150 for 16 hours
$75 if you will be a volunteer
lunch provided

Nothing is easy, ever. Don't forget.

So, rather than getting a quick resolution from the County Attorney, the DNR Director has now said that it is not safe for the bridge to go back in the same place. I don't know what his safety issues are, and it is not his project anymore, so cost should not be his issue. I just think he doesn't really want us out there.

So what to do. I've called in the big guns at the State Historical Preservation Office and we will see what needs to be done. I will be going there next week for a meeting with the Director. She also encouraged me to break down the grant writing process and deal with the bridge lift with the matching funds that we currently have in place. Pretty cool and a good idea.

Getting ready to put our needs out on the Pepsi Refresh grant site, so all you watchers will have to go and vote for that.

Going Forward

My job has been defined to looking and writing for grants, getting all of the details settled for the big bridge lift, creating the event for Vern and creating the music scene with benefits including increased awareness and eventual monies for the bridge.

To that end our last event grossed $281 less band expense (100). Not bad for #2. Word of mouth, a bit of guerilla advertising, facebook have all been great tools for getting the word out. It doesn't hurt that these musicians are some of the most talented. I helped subsidize the first raffle to establish the value and now we are on to the 2nd - a year's worth of haircuts from MickeyPat's in Grinnell. This is $120 value - raffle tickets are on sale now.

The event brought more musicians to the table and they knew others. It seems like we have the potential to have great fun with this - planning through the end of June with Vern's Seminar being the culmination of this run. Next fall - September through November - more Tuesdays? IT's been discussed.

midApril closing in

Time to figure out how to raise the last funds for the big bridge lift. Any ideas. Bakesales, bunny hops, egg rolls, kayaks, canoes. More, big donations would be great. Who has $1000 for us?

How to Raise Money in a Storm

Put it off to next week. Hail, wind, rain and power failure put a stop to the Lonnski's Pub & Deli benefit for the Skunk River Bridge. David Zollo had just finished his first set and the night was over. not much money raised, but a rain date has been established for May 4th. Almost Acoustic Tuesdays advertised in the Datebook Section of the Des Moines Register so that is good. Andrew Fleming is next.
Still working for the lift of the bridge, rain doesn't help. We'll see ya in the spring. Off to grant writing in a big way.

Friday - again

Poster is in good shape and hanging from walls all over town, hoping for a really good turn out, estimating bringing in $500 per show, that is my goal anyway. Need to create the Seminar handout so we can start getting sign ups, figure out what photos will go in the slide show, have receipts that can be filled out for any major donations, get the raffle together, have a table set up near the door that captures people's attention, maybe a free cookie or slice of pumpkin roll. Bake sale. So profit centers are a percentage of the take on that night which works out to us taking all the beer money, a wash and it should work out great. Raffle should bring in $100, plus the 100 from the bar take and 100 from donation at 20 people at 5 per, and half of the tips, less the artist rate. And then, the bigger donations for the bridge lift and to support Vern. I hope this works as a fundraiser...

Then engineer suggested that we do the following work while the bridge is stil over the water and until it gets lifted. Should I pursue with Peterson Contractors?


- The transverse outrigger support member under the bridge is hanging
down ready to catch debris. We should attempt to pull it up or
partially remove it so it doesn't hang down.

- Some of the stiffening (x-bracing and top strut) between the arches
will add stability to these eccentrically loaded members due to the
deformations.

- There may be other areas we could reinforce or ideas to catch debris
before it hits the bridge that could be considered.

Deadfall Abounds

None of the trees that have fallen are big enough to cross the river. That is a bummer, because that was always one of the best parts of going to the river. I'm not sure if we helped a few but who needed the bridge if you could shimmy across.

The recent floods undermined both of the areas that we thought would be problematic, the first on the west and north side of the bridge, where one tree went down parallel to the bridge, then the group on the north and east side of the bridge, right at the problematic curve, that whole group went down with the tops of the trees catching on the first deadfall but all pointing downstream.

I post a picture.

Moving to the old phone company building in Montezuma to see up offices for the NSRGA, should be a bit easier. Because I did not get the Wall Award I will open the lunchwagon back up to supplement my income. I'm thinking breakfasts and lunch, maybe bakery stuff.
More will be revealed on that notion.