FUNDS FOR RESTORING BURFORDVILLE BRIDGE IN BUDGET

~Correction: Bridge was built by Joseph Lansman.

BURFORDVILLE - Among items included in a capital improvements budget signed by Gov. Mel Carnahan this week is funding for a complete restoration of the covered bridge next to Bollinger Mill in Burfordville.

One of only four covered bridges remaining in Missouri, the Burfordville bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since the mid-1980s. Last year the bridge was even closed to foot traffic after inspectors checked it in preparation for the restoration effort and found it unsafe.

Jack Smoot, site administrator at Bollinger Mill, explained that all planning and engineering for the restoration are complete. Now it is just a matter of the Office of Administration having time to advertise for bids to get the process started.

"The money is available today, but when it starts depends on what their priorities are and other projects they have to deal with before going out for bids," Smoot said.

"With the amount of money appropriated for the effort, it should be a first-class restoration project," said Smoot.

The capital improvements budget for the fiscal year that started Thursday calls for including $611,200 for the bridge. Funds will go to the Division of State Parks and Historic Preservation from the one-tenth of a cent sales tax for state parks and soil conservation.

The project involves a complete restoration of the structure, which dates to the Civil War. One stone on the bridge abutment is dated 1858 and names James Lansmon as the builder. Smoot says he is not sure whether the bridge was finished at that time or just after the Civil War.

Bollinger Mill was burned by Union troops in 1861 after they had a disagreement with the landowner. Just after the war it was re-built.

"What they intend to do is take the bridge off the abutments and disassemble it, and test all the timbers. Naturally, they want to re-use as much of the original material as possible," said Smoot.

Once the bridge is complete, it will be set back in place over Whitewater River. One of the major changes will be raising the abutments about three feet to reduce the likelihood of damage from flooding.

Several floods during the 1980s caused damage to the bridge and eventually led to its closing to traffic.

Once the restoration is finished, Smoot said the bridge will look much like it does now. He said the state park system hopes the bridge can be restored to vehicular traffic so people can experience crossing a covered bridge. If not, the bridge will at least be open to pedestrians.

"Our division's goal is to be able to allow traffic across it, but that is uncertain right now. We at least want it back open to foot traffic," said Smoot.

Work could get started this fall. The effort will take about a year to complete.

Smoot, as site administrator, will help monitor the progress of the restoration, document the process through photographs, and deal with any interesting things that might be uncovered during the disassembly.

The project also will be overseen by representatives of the engineering firm that designed the bridge work and by historic architects and engineers responsible for design and development in state parks.

Smoot said the bridge draws a lot of interest from visitors, but is also a point of local pride. There are national organizations devoted to the preservation of old mills and covered bridges around the country.

"I would say as far as the people that come here with a specific interest in mills and bridges, they have as much interest in covered bridges as mills," said Smoot.

In 1967, the Bollinger Mill site became part of the Missouri park system, and in May 1970 the bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

All four of the covered bridges left in Missouri now are part of the state park system.

Before steel was used in building bridges, many bridges were constructed with a roof and siding to protect the wooden trusses from deterioration from changing weather conditions.