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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Oconomowoc
Avenue Bridge
Rough & Ready Bridge
Plank Road Bridge
At least
three bridges have
spanned the Rock River at Oconomowoc Avenue.
The first was an old wooden structure.
The second was a steel bridge which was constructed in 1907 and
continued in service until March of 1983 when it was dismantled for
construction of the new bridge. That
structure was one lane in width, and in recent years had deteriorated to the
point that heavy vehicles were prohibited from using it. The new bridge, dedicated in October of 1983,
cost $549,000, of which $439,000 was paid by federal funds. The remaining $110,000 was paid by the
city. The bridge is 300 feet long and
Edward Kraemer Construction was the general contractor. After the bridge was officially opened with a
ribbon cutting ceremony, long lines of cars traveled across for the first time
since back in March. Watertown Daily Times, 10 21
1983
1858
11 18 Obligation to repair the plank road
bridge WD
1859
02
10 Proposal: Highway to replace Plank Road. Ald. Dutcher introduced a memorial praying
the Legislature to vacate so much of the charter of the Milwaukee and Watertown Plank Road Company
as lies between Watertown and Oconomowoc and establish the same as a Public
Highway.
Also, Resolved, That
the City Attorney be and he is hereby instructed to commence legal proceedings
immediately against the Milwaukee and Watertown Plank Road Company for
suffering the bridge in this city upon said road to become impassable by the
traveling public. Common
Council Proceedings, WD
1861
01 31 From the Proceedings of the Common Council held Sat Jan 26, 1661: Resolved That the Mayor is hereby authorized
to enter into contract with L. A. Cole, L. J. Kadish
and others to pay them the sum of Five Hundred Dollars in city orders for and
in behalf of the city, so soon as they erect or cause to be erected a bridge
across Rock River , at a point near the Boston House, where the Plank Road
Bridge was, whenever said bridge shall be completed, and the same shall not
cost less than $1000, when completed. Adopted.
WD
02 01 An Improvement
We hear that the Common Council
took measures to have the Plank Road
Bridge, near the Rough and Ready Mill, repaired and put in order, so that
the same can be used. Considerable
inconvenience has been experienced by people living on the east side of the
Rock River, who have had occasion to come to town and to do so been obliged to
travel the circuitous route rendered necessary by the destruction of the bridge
to which we have alluded. As we
understand it, it will require an outlay of at least one thousand dollars to place
the same in good condition; one half of which, property holders living near the
bridge, more particularly, and others interested in the matter, have pledged
themselves to raise, while the remainder of the sum, five hundred dollars, the
city is to pay on the completion of the job.
We consider this a good investment on the part of the city, for there is
no doubt that it has lost more or less trade to Ixonia, Concord, Oconomowoc and
other places in that direction, in consequence of the impassable state of the
roads at some seasons of the year, on the route at present traveled. WR
06 13 The Committee of Highways and Bridges to whom was referred the Petition
of L. A. Cole and L. J. Kadish, reported in favor of
allowing them $200 to apply on their contract to build Plank Road bridge;
report accepted; moved by Ald. Prentiss that the clerk is hereby directed to
issue an order of $200.00 in favor of L. A. Cole, on the City General Fund;
Carried. WD
1870c
Viewed from the south, looking northeast
1881
04
28 The Plank Road
bridge should be repaired immediately, if only for temporary use. It will accommodate Oak Hill cemetery and the farmers
living east of the city. Only two new
bridges are absolutely necessary, namely, Main Street bridge, and the Smith
bridge. All the others should be
abandoned. A city authority should
consult the wishes and interests of all.
Build bridges according to the peculiar notions of all. In that manner, and that only, can they please
all. Let us have peace. WD See also WD, Aug 11, 1881
1890
04
09 VOTE TO TEAR
BRIDGE DOWN
1890c
IN DISTANCE, FROM OLD SWIMMING HOLE
1903
10 27 1903
While on the return home from a
visit east of town, Sunday afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. E. Grams had a narrow escape
from death by drowning. They had engaged a horse and buggy of Louis Dornfeld and on their return, just as they had left the
Oconomowoc Avenue Bridge the horse shied and there being no railing there the
horse fell into the river. Mr. Grains
was in the buggy when it over turned and was under it when it fell into the
water.
Mr. Grains had one of his feet
caught in the spokes of the wheel and, had nearly given up hopes of ever being
rescued or rescuing himself when he finally succeeded in getting loose and rose
to the surface. Finding his wife
struggling in the water, he reached her and managed to get to shore. The water is about ten feet deep at this
point.
The night was very dark making it
all the worse as there was no means of going for help. A resident nearby heard the horse struggling
in the water, and went to the scene, but was too late as the horse had already
drowned.
Mr. and Mrs. Grams were taken to
the electric power house where they were cared for and
a physician was summoned. Mr. DornfeId valued his horse at $150.
1903
1906
09
26 The committee on streets and bridges of
the Common Council examined what is known as the Oconomowoc bridge yesterday
and found it in an unsafe condition and in great need of repair at an early day
for the accommodation and safety of the traveling public. One thing can be said in praise of the
authorities having the matter in charge, that the bridges, and there are a number of them, are kept in good repair. The expense is quite an item in the tax
budget annually, but that makes no difference and the bridges are not permitted
to remain unsafe for a long period of time.
1906
11 22 A regular meeting of the city council was
held last evening, all of the aldermen, with the
exception of Alderman Hahn, responding to the roll call . . .
Alderman Lutovsky
broached the matter of the Rough and Ready Bridge [same as Oconomowoc Ave Bridge],
urging action on the part of the council.
The action was temporarily disposed of by instructing the board of
public works to communicate with an experienced engineer for plans for a
suitable bridge on Oconomowoc Avenue, also to figure on the use of one span of
the Milwaukee Street bridge. However,
the latter plan seemed to be against the wishes of several of the aldermen, the
sentiment appearing to be in favor of a new structure.
1907
01
02 The fact of the closing of the Rough and
Ready bridge is bringing to many of our citizens a realization of the fact that
the city is losing considerable business as a consequence.
The bridge was condemned by the city
council early in November and it was expected that the repair of the bridge . .
. would receive the immediate attention of the council. There was a delay . . .
farmers began to complain ... resolution was adopted . . . to procure plans.
Since that time, no action has been taken . . . merchants and business men are
beginning to join the farmers in their complaint . . . quite a large volume of
trade that naturally comes to Watertown is now going to Oconomowoc. Many farmers were obliged to travel a
roundabout way, crossing the Smith bridge, the road leading to the same being
in horrible condition. Some . . . have
quit coming to this city, while others have marketed their produce at
Oconomowoc ever since the bridge was condemned. As a result of the closing of
the bridge, so The Leader is
informed, the American Malting company has lost
over 5,000 bushels, which had gone to Oconomowoc. What is true of this concern is true of many
others. WDT
1907
03
20 At the last meeting of the council no
action was taken in the matter of the Rough and Ready bridge in order to await
developments in the dam matter. Mr.
Smith [Assemblyman Fred Smith]
writes as follows: "Unless I notify
you otherwise, the hearing on bill No. 600a, which is the Rough and Ready dam bill; will be held Thursday, March
21st." WL
1907
10
30 The placing of the girders at the new
Rough and Ready bridge was completed yesterday.
It took only ten days to put the enormous heavy eight girders, over
eight tons each, in place, which is the fastest that ever Rock River has been
spanned in this city and a credit to the management of the Dornfeld-Kunert
Co. and Mr. A. F. Baumann, who superintended the work personally. The work is being pushed to the utmost and
Watertown soon will have another up-to-date bridge to be proud of for years to
come. WDT
1907
11
27 NEW
IRON AND STEEL BRIDGE CONSTRUCTED
The new iron and steel bridge
being constructed across the Rock River at Oconomowoc Avenue is almost
completed and will be ready for traffic by the first of December. It is a structure that reflects credit upon
the builders, the Dornfeld-Kunert
company of this city, whose bid was $12,500. The cement work is all
finished and the work of laying the brick paving is well under way. The length of the bridge is 256 feet, four
spans of 64 feet each. The width of the roadway is 17 feet, of concrete with
brick paving, while the sidewalk is five feet six inches of cement. A. F.
Baumann of the Dornfeld-Kunert company has had
supervision of the construction work and not a detail has been overlooked. WDT
1907
12
06 NEW
IRON AND STEEL BRIDGE OPENED
The new iron and steel bridge
spanning the Rock river at Oconomowoc Avenue has been completed and will be
ready for traffic in the course of a couple of days. The only work remaining is filling in at the
approaches. The structure is a credit to
the city, also to the builders - the Dornfeld-Kunert
Company, whose contract price was $12,500 . . . The work has been under the
supervision of A. F. Baumann of the contracting firm, while Street Commissioner
Gus Glasef has been looking after the interests of
the city. WDT
1909
c.1920
VIEW TO THE EAST FROM OCTAGON HOUSE
Oconomowoc Ave bridge
Richards Grove School, built by
John Richards in the late 1840s
Watertown Plank Road came into
town along Oconomowoc and Concord avenues
Boston House Hotel
Little Bohemia area of Watertown
c.1922
ICE SKATERS
BELOW RICHARDS HILL, NEAR BRIDGE
1920s
SINGLE LANE
BRIDGE
1940s
c.1940
1944
1958
03
06 Cost of a new Oconomowoc Avenue bridge. WDT
1950s
1960
05 08 The Oconomowoc Avenue
bridge, which has undergone extensive repairs and changes the past year, was due
to be open this afternoon for the convenience of travelers. The bridge still has some minor work to
undergo, such as completion of painting, and that this will be done next
week. In the meantime, it was decided to
open the bridge for the convenience of travelers this weekend. WDT
c1975
1982
11 20 The low bid for Watertown’s new Oconomowoc Avenue bridge is
nearly $70,000 below original estimates, according to Edward C. Bennett, city
engineer. Bennett said he received
notification from the State Division of Highways today that the low bidder is
Edward Kraemer and sons of Plain, Wis., with a bid of $483,281.90, considerably
below the $550,000 estimate for the work.
Other low bidders were Lunda Construction of Black River Falls,
$499,395, and Pheifer Brothers of Neenah,
$510,140.90.
Bennett said he is reasonably
sure the low bidder will be awarded the contract, and actual construction work
will begin in early spring. Completion
is expected near the end of next year.
The new bridge will replace the existing one-lane structure which has a four ton weight restriction.
The bid includes construction of a sidewalk on the south side of the
bridge, and also includes curb and gutter from Concord
Avenue east to Kossuth Street. WDT
1983
07 02 Steve
Lunde, area superintendent for Edward Kraemer & Sons WDT
10
14 The Oconomowoc Avenue Bridge
will be formally dedicated and opened to traffic in ceremonies Friday at 2
p.m. Final work on the bridge is being
undertaken, and the contractor has assured the city that all will be ready for
the dedication. Edward Bennett, city engineer, said the ribbon will be cut by
Eleanor Hady, a longtime resident of the area who watched when the original
one-lane bridge was built back in 1908. City officials will also be present for
the dedication and opening. WDT
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin