Science & Tech
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The King Iron Bowstring Bridge, designed by Zenas King and built in the 1870s, linked the industries on Falls Island with the Village of Canton. Before founding the King Bridge Company in Cleveland, Ohio, King lived and worked in the Depeyster area of St. Lawrence County. One of very few bowstring bridges still in service in New York State, the bridge is 75 feet long and 13 feet wide. Teams of horses brought raw materials to Falls Island, including barley, oats, wheat, white pine logs, hemlock, hardwoods, apples, and wool, while wagons left the island carrying flour, cattle feed, lumber, building supplies, apple cider, yarn, and hardware products. Its restoration preserved an important part of Canton's early history and was carried out largely true to the original design and construction techniques. In the bowstring truss, the arch carries the load, the weight is transferred downward vertically, and the lower chord comes under tension so the footings take only vertical forces, with all parts working together to create a bridge that is simple, lightweight, dynamic, and elegant.
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Canton, New York · United States
