Two historic bridges in Madison County are scheduled for demolition soon. The Blaine Spring Ck. Bridge and the Varney Bridge will be torn down and be sent to the old bridge rest home…or the trash heap…or the graveyard. They say these old bridges aren’t safe anymore…a hazard…even a menace?
I, of course, will be sad to see them go, having crossed over them many, many times over many, many years…fished off of them…floated under them…marvelled at their classic looks…old school masterpieces of concrete, wood and steel.
Both bridges were built by the King Bridge Co., Cleveland, Ohio…the Blaine in 1892, the Varney in 1897. Not sure what will replace them…have heard “they” will try to replicate the original design…I won’t hold out much hope for that. 
Bridge photos by Jeanne Kimerly Singleton
One of these early mornings I will sneak down there and steal a piece of each…maybe a chunk of cement from one of the pilings at Blaine, where once I sat and shot a couple rolls of film on the rising trout below.
Or a souvenir from the Varney…scrape some of that old silver paint into a Mason jar…or a piece of mud from an old cliff swallow nest.
If you see me down there don’t get too worried…just trying to stay one step ahead of the Grim Reaper.