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SPANNING THE PAST
Commission discusses replacing historic stone bridges
new deh county commission bridge pic
Shown is the historic Hitschmann Cattle Underpass Bridge northeast of Claflin. The replacement of the bridge is being discussed. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO
There are two historic limestone bridge north of the tiny northeast Barton County community of Hitschmann that may be nice to look at, but don’t meet the grueling needs of today’s faster, larger and heavier traffic.One of those structures, a Works Project Administration bridge dating back to 1941 located about eight miles northeast of Claflin on NE 190 Road, is commonly known as the Hitschmann Cattle Underpass Bridge. It was suggested during the Barton County Commission meeting Monday that the bridge be replaced and widened from 24 to 30 feet. As the bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places, County Administrator Richard Boeckman said the Kansas State Historical Society must be notified and given five days to respond.