The Remarkable Bridge In Kansas That Everyone Should Visit At Least Once
By Clarisa|Published December 27, 2018
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Clarisa
Author
Born and raised Kansan, Clarisa has lived in both tiny towns and cities during their time here in the Sunflower State. As a busy mother of one crazy kid, two cats, and two geckos, they write whenever there is spare time.
There’s a lot in Kansas to explore, so when we find something amazing, we love to share it with you. For those of us who explore Kansas’ natural side, we share photos in our Kansas Nature Lovers Facebook group to get people excited about our state, for places just like this one. This overgrown bridge in Kansas is something everyone should visit.
This bridge hidden in the scraggly trees and tall grass is called the Clements Stone Arch Bridge, and it stands strong just south of Clements, Kansas.
This amazing bridge was built without machines, using only mules and manpower to bring all these stones together to make a long-standing bridge over the Cottonwood River. Each of the arches are around 28 feet, and the structure itself was built with blocks around 4-6 feet long, weighing close to a ton each.
It's a good sized bridge, considering it was made by hand and was built so long ago. It's been here since 1886 (finished in 1888) and even with the passage of time and plenty growing on top of it, it's still here.
The grass that sometimes covers the top in the spring and summer is almost like mother nature's carpet. If it's still there, it provides a reminder of how old this bridge really is. I assume it's being taken care of to some extent, to keep the greenery from climbing up every surface.
Of course, it has been closed for years, but you can still walk over and enjoy the bridge on foot. It makes a great adventure for anyone who loves a little history with their nature walks.