Whites Bridge Expected to Reopen in July

In the early morning hours of July 7, 2013, a fire raged over the Flat River in Keene Township.

The historic Whites Bridge – said to be the oldest Brown truss wooden bridge in the state – was engulfed in flames and was beyond saving when firefighting crews arrived. Determined to be arson, the fire was so hot that it popped cobblestones in the bridge’s abutments, according to Jeff Christensen, vice chair of the Whites Bridge Historical Society.

For years, local residents have felt the sting of losing a treasured historic structure to such a senseless act. While the arsonist has never been found, the community is approaching a milestone that may help provide some healing. A new bridge, constructed as a replica of the original, is expected to open to traffic on July 3, nearly seven years to the date of the fire.

Community Action in the Wake of Tragedy

Christensen met with reporters this week to provide an update on the status of the bridge’s construction. He told them, “Welcome to what’s going to be the perfect ending to a project I didn’t know if we were going to finish.”

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, there was both grief and outrage over the loss of Whites Bridge, which had been in service since 1869. Above all, there was a deep desire to replace the bridge with another that would replicate the one that had burned.

Two different groups sprung up to raise money for the effort. Auctions were held, and t-shirts and mugs emblazoned with the image of the bridge were sold. Eventually, all the fundraising was consolidated into a single group which would eventually become what is now the Whites Bridge Historical Society.

For anyone concerned their donation didn’t make it to the bridge project, Christensen says not to worry. All financial records were reviewed and the State Police consulted to ensure that no money was diverted for another use. “Every dollar we raised is right there,” he said, motioning to the bridge under construction.

Learning Process for Everyone

It’s been a long journey to replace Whites Bridge. The project, which was originally thought to have a $450,000 price tag, cost approximately $750,000 in the end. In addition to private donations, the historical society pursued grant funding and credits the support of Ionia County with helping them successfully secure needed money.

“Ionia County didn’t hardly have money to fill a pothole at that time, but they helped us in any other way they could,” Christensen said.

Rebuilding the bridge has been a learning process for everyone involved and took longer than initially expected. Christensen said there were unexpected challenges along the way. For instance, mollusks needed to be removed and the bridge design had to be adjusted so it could carry the weight of some emergency vehicles. The latter requirement was necessary to qualify for some funding sources.

The group was able to salvage the original cobblestone abutments and because of that, the new Whites Bridge will still be the site of a historic designation. While the bridge’s original signs haven’t been recovered, Christensen notes people are still finding debris in the river.

Creating a Place for Future Generations

Given the bridge’s relatively remote location in rural Ionia County, security precautions are being taken to avoid a repeat of the 2013 fire. The structure will be coated with a fire retardant which must be reapplied every five years. Plus, there will lighting, surveillance cameras and heat sensors installed on the bridge

Christensen said the $12,000 cost of the fire retardant and other maintenance expenses will mean the Whites Bridge Historical Society will continue to fundraise even after the bridge is reopened. While the group knows the new bridge can never fully replace the original, they hope it will fill its predecessor’s shoes.

“I want to see weddings here,” Christensen said. He’d like the bridge to be a stop for canoeists and kayakers on the Flat River as well as a destination for anyone who wants to revisit a piece of the past.

“We can’t change what happened,” he explained, but the Whites Bridge Historical Society and its legion of supporters aren’t dwelling on the past. Instead, they are creating something new and beautiful for the future.