Kinzua Bridge State Park

Geobox Protected Area
name = Kinzua Bridge State Park
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category_local = Pennsylvania State Park
category_iucn = III

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image_caption = A view of the collapsed Kinzua Viaduct taken May, 2007.
etymology_type = Named for
etymology = Kinzua Bridge
country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region_type = County
region = McKean
district_type = Townships
district = Hamlin
district1 = Keating
city =
city1 =
location =
lat_d = 41
lat_m = 45
lat_s = 19
lat_NS = N
long_d = 78
long_m = 35
long_s = 01
long_EW = W
location_note = cite web
url=Gnis3|1178536
title=Kinzua Bridge State Park
date = August 2 1979
work=Geographic Names Information System
publisher=United States Geological Survey
accessdate=2008-03-29]
elevation_imperial = 2136
elevation_round = 1
elevation_note =
area_unit = acre
area_imperial = 329
area_round = 1
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lowest =
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established_type =
established = 1980
established1_type =
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management_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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free_type = Nearest city
free = Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania
free1_type =
free1 =


map_caption = Location of Kinzua Bridge State Park in Pennsylvania
map_locator = Pennsylvania
map_first =
website = [http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/kinzuabridge.aspx Kinzua Bridge State Park]

Kinzua Bridge State Park is a convert|329|acre|km2|2|adj=on Pennsylvania State Park near Mount Jewett, in Hamlin and Keating Townships, McKean County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park lies between U.S. Route 6 and Pennsylvania Route 59, just east of the Allegheny National Forest.

Kinzua Bridge State Park is one of twenty-one chosen by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks for its "Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks" list. [cite web| url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/twenty/20parks.aspx | title = Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks | accessdate = 2007-08-08| publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources "Note: Despite the title, there are twenty-one parks in the list, with Colton Point and Leonard Harrison State Parks treated as one."]

Kinzua Bridge

The park is noted as the home of the Kinzua Bridge spanning Kinzua Creek, original bridge built in 1882, subsequent bridge built in 1900 and destroyed in 2003 by a tornado. At the time it was built, the original (c. 1882) Kinzua Bridge was the highest, at convert|301|ft|0, and longest, at convert|2053|ft|0, railway bridge in the world, given the distinction of being listed as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark (the listing was in 1977). The Erie Railroad company originally owned and operated the bridge.

William Scranton, then governor of Pennsylvania, signed legislation creating Kinzua Bridge State Park in 1963, although the park did not officially open until 1970. In 1987, excursion trains of the Knox and Kane Railroad again began running on the bridge. The trains traveled from Kane with a trip through the Allegheny National Forest and made a stop on the bridge before returning to Kane.cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/kinzuabridge.aspx | title = Kinzua Bridge State Park | accessdate = 2007-10-04 | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]

The Knox and Kane Railroad offered excursion rail trips across the bridge until June, 2002, when it was closed for restoration. At approximately 3:20 p.m., July 21, 2003, a tornado from the east touched down at the park. The storm, classified as F-1 on the Fujita scale, tore down 11 of the 20 structure spans and nearby trees were snapped and uprooted. The failure was caused by badly rusted bolts holding the bases of the towers. The investigation reckoned that the whole structure oscillated laterally 4-5 times before fatigue broke the base bolts. The towers fell intact in sections, and they suffered impact damage with the ground. They have been left as they fell, and it is intended to make the ruins a visitor attraction to show the forces of nature at work. [cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/info/kinzuabridgereport/kinzua.html
title = DNCR report on the collapse of the Kinzua Viaduct
accessdate = 2005-06-11
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]

Recreation

A scenic view overlooks the fallen bridge and Kinzua Creek Valley. The overlook is also a prime location to view the fall foliage during the first two weeks of October. The park also has a shaded picnic area with a centrally located modern restroom.

There are convert|100|acre|km2|2 of woods open to hunting at Kinzua Bridge State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species are Black Bears, Eastern Gray Squirrel, White-tailed Deer, and Wild Turkey. The hunting of Groundhogs is prohibited.

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within convert|30|mi|0 of Kinzua Bridge State Park: [cite map |scale = 1:65,000| publisher= Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division
url= ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/mckean_GHSN.PDF
title= 2007 General Highway Map McKean County Pennsylvania
accessdate= 2007-07-28 "Note: shows Kinzua Bridge State Park"] cite web
last = Michels
first = Chris
year = 1997
url = http://www2.nau.edu/~cvm/latlongdist.html
title = Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation
publisher = Northern Arizona University
accessdate = 2008-04-23]
*Allegany State Park (New York)
*Bendigo State Park (Elk County)
*Bucktail State Park Natural Area (Cameron and Clinton Counties)
*Chapman State Park (Warren County)
*Elk State Park (Elk County)
*Sizerville State Park (Cameron and Potter Counties)

References

External links

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