Gould Wash Bridge, Spanning Gould Wash at State Route 9, Hurricane

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER UTAH,27-HURI.V,4-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Gould Bridge, built by Clyde and Company of Springville, Utah under the supervision of George Adams, represents a good example of reinforced concrete T-beam bridge construction typical of this era. It is also the largest bridge to have been built on the road between Hurricane and St. George (Berry Springs Road).

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER UTAH,27-HURI.V,4-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Michael R. Polk, Sagebrush Archaeological Consultants, Ogden, Utah. September Photographer: Michael R. Polk, Sagebrush Archaeological Consultants, Ogden, Utah. March Gould Bridge HAER No. UT-69 (page 2) H. HISTORY A. Need For Bridge The European-American settlement of the southwestern part of Utah followed well behind that of the Wbsatch Front in the northern part of present-day Utah. The first major settlement was begun by Mormon immigrants in in the area of present- day Salt Lake City. Southern Utah was settled later, in part due to its distance from the V&satch Front, but also because of its rugged and inhospitable nature.

Much of the area is dissected by deep canyons and high mountains and plateaus which tended to discourage both early settlement and the development of transportation routes through the area. Several factors led to the early settlement of this portion of southern Utah in the early Its relatively warm climate, agricultural potential and geographic posi- tion on the early wagon route from Salt Late City to southern California were signif- icant. This helped it fit favorably into the Mormon Church plan of quickly coloniz- ing areas of the Great Basin beyond Salt Lake City. The first settlement in the area was that of New Harmony which is located lapproximately 20 miles north of Hurri- cane. New Harmony was founded in As other towns such as Tbquerville, Virgin City, St.

George and Washington City were established during the late and early transportation routes were established between them following natural waterways and canyons and avoiding major topographic obstacles. The Virgin River was the principal waterway in the area which was followed most close- ly and which is also the most prominent and important river in southwestern Utah. It was along this river that many of the early towns were established and where virtually all of the agricultural development took place. By the mid-1890s settlers coming into extreme southwestern Utah had occupied most of the available lands along the banks of the Virgin River.

Periodic and unpredict- able flooding of the river destroyed much of the agricultural land along the river banks.2 The flooding destroyed dams along the river six times between and The uncertainty of the river and the limited land available for new agricul- ture prompted people to look elsewhere for land to cultivate. Residents of south- western Utah in search of this land believed that they had found it on Hurricane Bench where soil appeared fertile, but in need of water. Several of them formed a canal company in and began construction of a large aqueduct to bring Virgin River water from upstream to Hurricane Bench.

It took eleven years and a sizeable3 infusion of money from the Mormon Church, but the canal was completed in With the introduction of agriculture on the Hurricane Bench, the town steadily grew during the early years of the twentieth century attracting a population of 100 fa- milies, by During this growth period the main transportation routes of the area continued to bypass the town. Though a wagon road already existed across Hurricane Bench, extending west to east from St. George to Rockville, the main route4of travel east-west through the area was north of Hurricane through Tbquer- ville. That was the best road for traffic from St. George and other towns along the Territorial Road which extended from St. George northward to Salt Lake City.

Gould Wash Bridge HAERNo.UT-69 (page 3) The economic growth which occurred in Utah and the nation as a whole during the and coupled with the increasing numbers of automobiles present on the nation's roads during this time, encouraged more tourism in southwestern Utah, especially in nearby Zion National Monument. The monument was created in by Presidential proclamation and by had become a national park. The most direct route between St George and the park was through 5Hurricane, known as the Berry Springs Road and, later, the Hurricane cut-off road. However, the increas- ing traffic and potential tourist income continued to be diverted to the north through Tbquerville and LaVerkin because of the poor conditions on the road through Hurri- cane.

Hurricane City leaders, concerned about the loss of potential economic bene- fits to the town, appealed to the State Road Commission and were eventually re- warded with the upgrading of a portion of the Berry Springs Road in Though the project included road grading and construction of a bridge across the Virgin River west of Hurricane, it left over five miles of poor road between there and the town. In some upgrading was done on that section making it passable for local traffic. Despite this work, however, automobile clubs and other bureaus remained reluctant to route tourist traffic over the road because it still had a poorer surface than the paved road through loquerville.

Finally, in late a contract was let by the State Road Commission to finish upgrading the last miles of the Berry Springs Road to a gravel surface (to become part of State Road No. As part of this construction project, a second contract was let for construction of a steel reinforced concrete bridge over Gould Vvash located just west of Hurricane.7 The contract was to construct a ft. span Concrete Ribbed Rigid Frame bridge..." as part of Federal Aid Project No. the road construction project between the Virgin River and Hurricane.8 B. Bridge Construction History The contract for the Berry Springs Road, part of the Federal Aid Program, was awarded to Clyde in late by the State Road Commission based upon plans and specifications provided by State Road Commission Engineers.

Construc- tion began in early under the supervision of State Road Commission engineer Stewart Knowlton.9 The work, which was to have begun on January 4, was delayed for several weeks by adverse weather and road conditions which prevented the transportation of the heavy machinery necessary for road building.l0 Early in the construction of the Berry Springs Road, an obstacle was encountered which greatly slowed construction progress. A large watercourse, known as Gould Wish, lay along the road over which it was necessary to construct a bridge. On January 28, the State Road Commission published a Notice lb Contractors in the Wfoshington County News11 requesting bids for construction of a 65 foot span con- crete ribbed rigid frame bridge over the wash.

The contract for the bridge was eventually awarded to Clyde and Company 1 of Springville for a cost of as Federal Aid Project No. * The company began construction on die bridge on February 18, The construction of the bridge was 14 complet- ed three months later, on May 22, under the supervision of George Adams. With - its completion, the Gould Wash Bridge became the largest bridge built along the Berry Springs Road. Gould Vfash Bridge HAER No. UT-69 (page 4) During the same year that the Gould Bridge was built, construction was alrea- dy underway, three miles to the east, on a massive steel arch bridge on State Route 9 where it crosses the Virgin River at LaVerkin.

The bridge, costing and representing one of the largest one span bridges ever built in Utah, had become a necessity due to the constant washing out of the main levee and dirt road east to Zion National Park. The bridge contract was awarded to the Christensen and Gardner Company of Salt Lake City and the work, begun in early was completed in late October of the same year.15 A large dedication ceremony attracted local citizens on October 15, prior to the actual completion of the bridge.16 The con- struction of the Gould \fosh Bridge, which had been finished five months earlier, was overshadowed by the excitement about and the enormity of the impending completion of the new Hurricane-LaVerkin Bridge project. HI.

THE BRIDGE A, Description The fifty-six year old bridge on State Route 9 is oriented east-west at a skew span- ning the course of the northward flowing Gould Wish channel. As designed and represented in six sheets of construction drawings prepared by "JAU." of the Utah Road Commission in Gould Wash Bridge is a one span, steel reinforced, poured concrete T-Beam structure, parallelogram-shaped in plan, and measuring 72 feet long by 26 feet wide.x n The parapets extend the length of the entire structure to 118 feet and are 2 feet l h inches high. The bridge's single span measures 65 feet 4 inches in width between two short five- foot wide concrete abutments. The west abutment adjoins a revetment which ex- tends back into the embankment a distance of 27 feet.

The east abutment also ad- joins a revetment which extends 25 feet 1 inch into the embankment. The bridge's horizontal superstructure consists of three arched T-beams extending the length of the span from abutment to abutment. The bridge has a deck or vehicle driving surface of concrete topped with bituminous pavement. The original surface has been resurfaced with asphalt over the years. Along the north and south sides of the bridge are concrete railings. The steel-rein- forced railings consist of five-foot wide concrete "posts" at each end and over each abutment, with lengths of round-arched balusters in between. Above the balusters is a wide concrete rail and below a chamfered concrete curb. All concrete is smooth- finished.

Although built in the bridge, especially its superstructure, is quite modern in appearance. The recessed textured geometric panels in the abutments and railing posts and the incised lines in the revetments reveal an Art Deco stylistic influence, a style which was at the height of its popularity during this time penod. Interestingly, these decorative features were placed on the Road Commission drawings to be made part of the structure. Such detailing is shared by few Utah bridges built during this time. Most bridges constructed during this era were rather plain, poured concrete structures. Gould Wash Bridge HAERNo. UT-69 (page 5) Overall, the bridge is nicely proportioned and representative of fine concrete bridge design of its era. The superstructure is in quite good condition.

The railings are deteriorated in a few places with the reinforcing steel exposed. The only additions to the bridge are steel safety railings which have been attached to the ends of the concrete railings to extend the bridge approaches. B. Ownership and Future Both Utah State and the U.S. Government paid for the Gould Wish Bridge to be built and the bridge has remained a part of the State Road system since that time. The bridge's traffic volume has constantly increased over the years, especially with the increased traffic flow to Utah's many national parks, especially Zion and Bryce Canyons. As such, the bridge has become functionally obsolete largely because it is too narrow. It is scheduled to be replaced within the next two years. IV. BRIDGE BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL A.

Engineering and Design The design for the Gould Wish Bridge was a product of the Utah State Road Commission. The original design plans list J.A.U. (initials only) as the designer of the bridge.18 Nothing is known of this person who was, presumably, a Utah State Road Commission engineer. B. Bridge Builder The Gould Wash Bridge was built by the Clyde and Company contract firm of Springville, Utah. This company was begun as a partnership in and incor- porated in The initial partnership consisted of Wilford W. Clyde holding 50 percent interest, Edward Clyde (his brother) with 25 percent interest, and Guy Mendenhall with 20 25 percent. Mr. MendenhalTs interest was later purchased by Clyde.

Since that time the business has21remained in the family and is currently run by the third generation of Clydes.

In there were nine Clydes working full-time for the firm, primarily at the management level.22 At the time of Wilford W Clyde's death on August 1, the construction firm had completed more than million in contracts in Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming, making it a major highway builder in Utah and surrounding states.23 The W.W Clyde Construction Company has also built a number of dams, the Wil- lard Bay dike, the Huntington Power plant, and joined other firms in constructing large buildings such as the LDS Office Building and the ZCMI Center, both in Salt Lake City.24 The company has also constructed long sections of road in Utah, including much of the Interstate highway system. Gould Bridge HAER No, UT-69 (page 6) Location of Gould >tosh Bridge on Hurricane, Utah.

Taken from: USGS Quadrangle Hurricane, Utah (Provisional Edition Gould Atash Bridge HAER No. UT-69 (page 7) V. ENDNOTES 1. John Taylor Wfoodbury, \brmilion Cliffs: Reminiscences of Utah's Dixie, manu- script on file: Special Collections, Washington County Library, St. George, Utah, p. Published by the AMaodbury Children in Commemoration of Their Parents' Golden Wfedding. 2. Andrew Karl Larsen, Irrigation and Agriculture in Washington County, St. George, Utah, Work Projects Administration, p. 7. 3. Davis, William E., A Historical Survey of Utah Department of Transportation's State Route 9 Corridor between Mile Post and Washington County, Utah. Bluff, Utah: Abajo Archaeology, Archaeological Report, April p. 5. 4.

Alice Gubler Stratton, The Story of The Hurricane Canal, manuscript on file at the Special Collections Department, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah, 5. The Berry Springs Road was originally designated as part of State Route 17 when road construction and upgrading was completed in (Washington County News, 19 November p. 4, col. 2). In the State Legislature redesignated it State Route 15 and on May 20, the Legislature changed it to State Route 9, the number it has retained to the present day (John Monson, personal communication 6. Washington County News, 19 November p. 1, col. 1. 7. Ibid., 28 January p. 8, col. 3. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid., 7 January p. 2, col. 1. 10. Ibid. 11. Ibid., 28 January p. 8, col. 3. 12. Utah State Road Commission, Biennial Report p. 38. 13.

Ibid.; Washington County News, 18 February p. 4, col. 3. 14. Utah State Road Commission, Biennial Report p. 38; Washington County News, 27 May p. 4, col. 1. 15. Washington County News, 14 October p. 1, col. 7. 16. Ibid., 21 October p. 1, col. 1. 17. Utah State Road Commission, Biennial Report Gould Vfosh Bridge HAER No. UT-69 (page 8) 18. Ibid. 19. Arnold Irvine, Deseret News, "Clyde Keeps an Eye on Roads He Built", 25 August 20. Associated General Contractors of America, Early Day Recollections, Building a Better Utah for 50 Years, p. 44. 21. Norman Clyde, personal communication, 13 October [This was a telephone conversation between Ann S. Polk of Sagebrush and Mr. Clyde who is a principal in the Clyde Construction Corporation and grandson of Clyde, the found- er of the company.] 22.

Associated General Contractors of America, Early Day Recollections, Building a Better Utah for 50 Years, p. 45. 23. Deseret News, Clyde builder, dies", 2 August p. Salt Lake Tribune, 3 August 24. Arnold Irvine, Deseret News, "Clyde Keeps an Eye on Roads He Built", 25 August VI. REFERENCES CITED A. Books and Published Sources Associated General Contractors of America, Early Day Recollections, Building a Better Utah for 50 Years, Larson, Andrew Karl. Irrigation and Agriculture in Washington County. Work Projects Administration, St. George, Utah, Stratton, Alice Gubler. The Story of The Hurricane Canal. Manuscript on file at the Special Collections Department, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah, Wxxibury, John Taylor, tyrmilion Cliffs: Reminiscences of Utah's Dixie.

Pub- lished by the Wxxibury Children in Commemoration of Their Parents' Golden Wedding. Manuscript on file in Special Collections, Atoshington County Library, St. George, Utah, B. Newspapers Deseret News. Clyde builder, dies", 2 August p. . "Clyde Keeps an Eye on Roads He Built", 25 August Gould Bridge HAER No. UT-69 (page 9) Salt Lake Tribune. "Contractor Dies, Clyde, 3 August Vbshington County News. St. George, Utah. , 19 November p. 1, col. 1. . 19 November p. 4, col. 2. . 7 January p. 2, col. 1. . 28 January p. 8, col. 3. . is February p. 4, col. 3. . 27 May p. 4, col. 1. g 14 October p. 1, col. 7. . 21 October p. 1, cols. 1 and 2. C Documents and Reports Davis, William E.

A Historical Survey of Utah Department of Transportation's State Route 9 Corridor between Mile Post and Washington County, Utah. Bluff, Utah: Abajo Archaeology, Archaeological Report, April Utah State Road Commission. Biennial Report D. Personal Communications Clyde, Norman. Personal communication, [This was a telephone conversa- tion between Norman Clyde who is a principal in the Clyde Construction Corporation and grandson of Clyde, the founder of the company and Ann S. Polk of Sagebrush Archaeological Consultants.] Monson, John. Personal communication, [This was a telephone conversation on December 7, between John Monson, Planning Section, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City and Michael R. Polk of Sagebrush Archaeological Consultants. .

Maps and Drawings Utah State Road Commission. "Gould >*ash - "Washington County", prepared by J.A.U. Six drawings, Utah State Road Commission, Salt Lake City, Utah.