Bridging the American Divide

When Route 66 first gained federal status in 1926, it crossed Kansas on roads that were already paved, an uncommon condition in the state but one found in Cherokee County. Before the turn of the century, engineers had begun mixing mining waste called chat, the finely crushed stone separated from lead and zinc ores during sifting, into roadbeds between Galena and Baxter Springs. Mixed with native soil and compacted, it created a hard cement-like surface. The mining industry required good roads and largely financed them through the tax revenues it generated. The entire Kansas segment of Route 66 was installed or improved between 1921 and 1923, including the Galena Viaduct and Marsh Arch "Rainbow" Bridge. Both bridges have seen little change beyond routine maintenance since 1923, preserving an early American highway driving experience. At 24 feet wide, they are much narrower than modern highway bridges; the Viaduct also has a steep approach and descent and offers a broad view of Hell's Half Acre from its summit, while the "Rainbow" Bridge is notable for its iconic design. A second similar Marsh Arch bridge once carried Route 66 over the Spring River until it was dismantled in 1986, but negotiations in 1992 between the Kansas Historic Route 66 Association and the County saved the remaining bridge, which now carries only southbound traffic. Named for designer and patent holder James Barney Marsh, the "Rainbow" Bridge is the last of its kind on the full length of Route 66, and the Galena Viaduct, which has carried motorists over the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad for more than 90 years, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of East Galena's Historic Business District.

Kansas · United States