The History of Kinzua Bridge State Park

Parts of this historical account taken from an article originally written and researched by Ed Byers

Kinzua Bridge State Park is the story of a man-made marvel, the power of Mother Nature destroying its original purpose, and how some ingenuity brought the location back as an amazing visitor center.

With the bridge crossing at a height of more than 300 feet above the valley floor, it was a perilous journey even in the best of conditions. There was a 5-mph speed limit for the trains, which carried  coal, timber and oil, fueling the furnaces of the industrial revolution. Because of these trainloads of vital goods,  town populations grew and the economies of these towns flourished.

The structure was closed in 1900 to replace the ironwork with steel, but was reopened after that.

As the railroad company that controlled the line shifted from The New York, Lake Erie and Western Coal and Railroad company (which became part of the Erie Railway system), the bridge was no longer used.

In 1987, as freight traffic faded and tourism took off, the Knox and Kane Railroad began running passenger trains loaded with sightseers across the bridge. Passengers described the ride with words like “suspended in mid-air,” “flying,” “magical,” and some said it was like “being at heaven’s door.”

More than 100,000 visitors eagerly boarded the trains every year for a thrilling ride across the “Tracks in the Sky’” to view the Kinzua Valley from dizzying heights. In 2002, things changed, and those sightseeing trains were the last trains ever to cross the Kinzua Bridge.

Brode’s crew was hard at work on the afternoon of July 21, 2003, when a band of severe storms began thundering across the Allegheny National Forest. Brode’s project superintendent Floyd Quillin ordered his workers to leave the bridge and get out before the storms hit.

At 3:00, a mile west of the bridge, an F-1 tornado packing winds of 90 miles-per-hour touched down, snaking its way through the Kinzua Valley toward the bridge. The tornado smashed dead- center into the viaduct, taking out 11 of 20 towers and 1,200 feet of the span. The tornado lifted the center towers from their ancient, rusted anchor bolts, slamming the twisted towers to the valley floor. With a direct hit to the bridge’s gut, only six towers to the south and three towers to the north remained standing.

In fewer than 30 seconds, the era of rail traffic spanning the Kinzua Creek Valley was history and a bridge lasting more than 100 years was gone.

The lifeless remains of the toppled towers would stay put in the valley below for viewing from the new observation deck. A hiking trail through the valley would give visitors a close-up view of the tornado’s destruction.

Construction of the new Skywalk and Visitor Center began in the fall of 2009. The six towers that remained standing were reinforced, new bridge decking with ramps and railings were installed. DCNR was quick to assure “skywalkers” that the walkway would be routinely inspected to ensure their safety.

“Since the skywalk at Kinzua Bridge State Park was completed in 2011, we’ve seen a growing number of visitors at the park coming to enjoy this unique experience,” says DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “The new center enhances their visit, welcoming them with exhibits and information about the history of the area and the many opportunities for outdoor activities at the park and in the Pennsylvania Wilds region.”

Supporting the local artisans and craftspeople is the PA Wilds Conservation Shop. Located at Kinzua Bridge State Park, the Conservation Shop features primarily locally made products that reflect the region’s beauty, bounty, and rural traditions so visitors can take home a piece of the PA Wilds.