Chalk Creek
Chalk Creek Bridge Successfully Completed Sunday, October 2, 2011! Thank you to Terry Alexander, Steve Harris, and all our volunteers & USFS colleagues!
Photographs courtesy of Terry Alexander
History: The Chalk Creek Railroad Bridge was built in the 1880’s and was used to access the mines in the area. It was built by the Denver, South Park and Pacific railroad to accommodate narrow gauge trains from the Mount Princeton area to the mining towns of St. Elmo and Hancock. Until the bridges’ closure in May 2011 the trail was used extensively by summer and winter recreation enthusiasts.
Lodging: Our volunteers stayed at Iron City Cabin in the San Isabel National Forest, a short distance from the site, which turned out to be delightful accommodations.
Scope of Work: In May 2011, Chalk Creek Canyon Bridge was closed due to safety concerns. Between Wednesday, September 28 and Sunday, October 2, HistoriCorps removed the rotted bridge deck and girders, replaced it with new girders and plank deck, constructed safety railings to USFS specifications, and repointed the historic stone abutments.
