Posts Tagged HAER

From October 2005 to May 2006, ACS conducted a Class III cultural resource survey of over 445 acres at and surrounding the historic Gillespie Dam Bridge on old US 80. The project was conducted on behalf of the Maricopa Department of Transportation (MCDOT) through ACS’ on-call contract. This multidisciplinary project also included writing a historical context for the project area (Thomas Jones, ACS), completing a Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) for the bridge (Clay Fraser of Fraser Design, Colorado), and a public outreach list of opportunities for MCDOT to use for interpretative and recreational use of the area (Dr. Susan Shaffer Nahmias). Gillespie Dam Bridge is an 80-year-old nine-span steel truss bridge–one of the oldest such structures in the state–that is slated for rehabilitation by MCDOT. This venerable central Arizona landmark sits in a unique environmental and cultural location between Gila Bend and Arlington that has remained largely untouched by development since the 1920s. It has been deemed worthy of preservation by MCDOT for the benefit of current and future Arizonans and advance preparation for rehabilitation work is underway.

In 2004, El Paso Natural Gas  (EPNG) decided, for operational and other reasons, to abandon portions of its Line 1007 located in Cochise, Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties in Arizona and replace and lower other portions. ACS was contracted to prepare a treatment plan to mitigate planned and future modifications to the line. As part of this project, ACS prepared a state-level HAER report to provide appropriate documentation of the pipeline and mitigate any adverse effects of future modifications to the historic line. For purposes of this document, the line was treated as a district, with the EPNG right-of-way as its boundaries. Begun in 1933, the historic Line 1007 was one of the earliest high-pressure, long-distance natural gas lines in North America and the first natural gas pipeline to supply the growing Tucson and Phoenix markets. Designed largely by EPNG personnel, its construction involved significant technological improvements and engineering challenges. The state-level HAER documentation identified four historic features associated with the Line 1007 district: the 1008 Loop Line, Compressor Station 5, Compressor Station 6, and the San Pedro River Bridge, one of only 10 suspension bridges built in Arizona by EPNG. Although our study found that the loop line and compressor stations did not retain sufficient integrity to contribute to the district’s overall eligibility, the 66-year-old San Pedro Bridge was recommended as individually eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A, B, and C for its association with important events, persons, and design/ construction characteristics.