This is a single suspension bridge from the Bridgemeister historical inventory of suspension bridges.

1862: Rattlesnake Bar

Folsom vicinity, California, USA - American River
Bridgemeister ID:1091 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1862
Name:Rattlesnake Bar
Location:Folsom vicinity, California, USA
Crossing:American River
At or Near Feature:Rattlesnake Bar
Coordinates:38.814397 N 121.091726 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Collapsed, December 21, 1954
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • The location of Rattlesnake Bar is closer to present-day Auburn than Folsom, near the location of Goose Flat marked on modern topographical maps of the region. The area was inundated during the creation of Folsom Lake, but the piers and abutments of the Rattlesnake Bar bridge are visible when the water level is low.
  • Rodi Lee writes: "[The bridge] collapsed in 1954 when an overweight truck filled with manure crossed it. The driver was unhurt. There are newspaper articles about the incident (Auburn Journal, Auburn). There are some photos in the article as well. The bridge abutments show when the the lake water is low. The bridge was upstream of Wild Goose Flats."
  • See 1855 Whiskey Bar (Pioneer, Whisky) - El Dorado County, California, USA. The cables of the Rattlesnake Bar bridge were reportedly reused from the damaged Whiskey Bar bridge.

External Links:

Image Sets:

Photo courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Photo by Jerry Van Lengen Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

Find bridges within of this bridge's location (38.814397 N 121.091726 W)


Jochem Hollestelle, Rodi Lee, Don Sayenga, and Jerry Van Lengen contributed to the information and/or images for this bridge.

Do you have any information or photos about this bridge that you would like to share? Please email david.denenberg@bridgemeister.com.

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