Fairfax Bridge, Spanning Carbon River at State Route 165, Carbonado, Pierce County, WA

Significance: It is one of only two extant three-hinged steel arches in the state of Washington. / The building of the Fairfax Bridge across the Carbon River canyon in 1921 was the culmination of years of earnest petitioning by the people of Fairfax. Their campaign for a highway to connect their isolated community to the outside world was skillfully orchestrated by a local county commissioner, James R. O'Farrell, and it was in his honor that the bridge the final link in this road was dedicated. The employment of a three-hinged steel lattice arch for the type of bridge was a prudent yet uncommon decision. Greatly suited both aesthetically and structurally to the picturesque and rocky gorge, it now stands as one of only two of its kind in the state of Washington.

Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N139

Survey number: HAER WA-72

Building/structure dates: 1921 Initial Construction

vehicular bridges pedestrian bridges carbonado fairfax bridge fairfax bridge carbon carbon river state route pierce pierce county washington state historic american engineering record karl w stumpf photo ultra high resolution high resolution library of congress

1969 - 1980

Library of Congress

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