HomeMy WebLinkAbout1903-1956 - Allentown Covered Bridge Over Union Pacific Railroad (Replaced by Codiga Bridge)Allentown Covered Bridge
By Michael C. Atkins I Posted 8/01/2006 I HistoryLink.org Essay 7812
Kent resident Michael C. Atkins submitted this retrospective on the Allentown Covered Bridge (built 1903, burned down 1956), which spanned
the Union Pacific rail line. The bridge was replaced by the Codiga Bridge, which carries S 129th Street over Interstate 5 and railroad tracks.
Allentown is located in King County just north of Tukwila and west of Skyway. Michaels family has lived in the Skyway area since 1956.
Allentown Covered Budge
When one thinks of covered bridges, usually the New England states come to mind. Covered bridges are rare in the Northwest. In 1903, the
Union Pacific Railroad built a bridge in Allentown over its tracks, for vehicles. They made it a wood truss covered bridge.
This bridge was called by several names, The Allentown Covered Bridge, The Foster Covered Bridge, also The Steele Hill Bridge, for the
pioneer Steele family. The bridge attracted people from Seattle and the surrounding area for Sunday drives. As a boy, I would ride in my father's
car over this bridge on our way to Foster Golf Links, where my father would janitor the clubhouse to pay for green fees. I would help him by
sweeping the steps. I always looked forward to seeing and crossing that old red wooden bridge.
I've read [in Kay F. Reinhartz, Tukwila: Community at the Crossroads] that over the years the bridge caught on fire several times due to sparks
spewed from the smokestacks of the steam locomotives passing underneath. The bridge had water barrels attached to its outer rails for fire
fighting. In 1956 the bridge caught fire and burned down for good. My father always suspected that kids did it. None -the -less, the bridge was
gone. It saddened me greatly, even at the age of nine.
A concrete bridge was erected in the 1960s and was renamed the Codiga Bridge after the nearby Codiga family and dairy farm. The bridge
crosses I-5 and the railroad tracks at S 129th street.
It is a shame the covered bridge didn't survive, even though it wouldn't have been capable of handling the traffic that the concrete bridge
currently does.
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Allentown Covered Budge (1903-1956) spanning Union Pacific Railroad tracks (in King County near but not over the Duwamish River),
Allentown, n.d. Courtesy Michael C. Atkins
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Codiga Bridge, Tukwila, 2006 Photo by Michael C. Atkins
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1903 — Photo of Old Red Covered Bridge, Renton Road
Credit: University of Washington Libraries
Title Photo of Old Red covered bridge, Renton Road, built 1903
Date circa 1960
Notes The bridge was built by the Union Pacific Railroad to carry traffic over its tracks, it
was known by several names: the Allentown Covered Bridge, the Foster Covered
Bridge, also the Steele Hill Bridge. It caught fire a number of times from the sparks
that spewed from steam locomotive's smoke stacks passing below. This view of
the bridge was taken ca. 1960.
Location United States --Washington (State) --King County --Seattle;
Digital King County Museum Collections
Collection
Note About This record describes one of more than three hundred artifacts, photographs and
Ownership documents, submitted by members of the Association of King County Historical
Organizations. The King County Collects project took place during the county's
sesquicentennial in 2001, to celebrate the shared collection of AKCHO's 205
members. The information presented here is the responsibility of the AKCHO
organization which submitted the item for inclusion in the project.
Ordering To order a reproduction or to inquire about permissions, contact The Tukwila
Information Historical Society, 14475 59th Ave S, Tukwila, 98168-4536
Credit Line Tukwila Historical Society; All Rights Reserved
Rights URI http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Rights All rights reserved.
Repository Tukwila Historical Society