Historic bridge sits a short distance from Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum in Warwick

When a longtime Route 66 researcher discovers a historic gem just a short distance from the route, that tends to get your attention.

Jerry McClanahan, Route 66 artist and author or co-author of the “Here It Is!” map series and “EZ66 Guide for Travelers” (Amazon links), posted this photo of his classic car on the bridge a short time after discovering the span just south of the Route 66 town of Warwick, Oklahoma:

The bridge can be found through Google Maps here. The bridge is on South 3370 Road, about a half-mile south of the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum on Route 66 in Warwick.

McClanahan said he found out about the bridge from an Oklahoma page on Facebook.

According to Bridgehunter.com, the truss bridge is known as the Deep Fork River Bridge, built in 1924. It’s not on the National Register of Historic Places.

Its overall condition is rated as “poor,” though the deck — an important part — is rated as “satisfactory.” It only gets 100 vehicles a day, so its replacement probably isn’t imminent.

Oklahoma has chronically underfunded its Department of Transportation for many years. Ironically, that means the agency has been in no hurry to replace old bridges such as this one because it doesn’t have the money. As one who resided in the Sooner State for almost a decade, I can attest that a surprisingly significant number cool, old bridges such as this can be easily found if you know where to look.

McClanahan’s experience also is an illustration of why Route 66 travelers keep driving it over and over and over. Just when you think you know the Mother Road, a new discovery pops up — even when it’s not new.

(Excepted image from Google Street View of Deep Fork River Bridge in Warwick, Oklahoma)

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