STAR, Idaho — The city of Star has a new bridge, kind of. I'm your Star neighborhood reporter, Alexander Huddleston, at Freedom Park, the new home for a bridge out of Horseshoe Bend that's over a century old.
"It's a fun job to do. Move a piece of history from one part of Idaho to another," said welder Ryan Conrad.
A historic bridge was on the move Tuesday morning, making its way from Horseshoe Bend all the way to Star. In February, we reported that the Boise Street Bridge in Horseshoe Bend would be torn down and split up. Half are staying in town at the Veterans Park, and the other being shipped out to Star to be repurposed at Freedom Park.
Star Mayor Trevor Chadwick smiled, saying, "It's awesome, it's so cool to see this bridge get here finally. It's getting closer to fruition that we will be able to utilize a historic bridge in our park."
Many of the workers on the project were intrigued by the advanced craftsmanship of the century-old bridge.
"It takes you back in time to the different way they did stuff," nodded Conrad.
Mayor Chadwick exclaimed, "You think about the 1908 timeframe and the ironworkers that put that together. They didn’t have the technology we have today."
"It is a big difference. This was all hot riveted together, which means it was built in place," explained Conrad.
The city has big plans for the area around the bridge once it is set in place.
The mayor pointed, saying, "All of this area will be our veteran's garden. It's going to be beautiful with flowers, seating places, and the seals of all the different military branches."
Mayor Chadwick tells me there is no official name yet but is leaning towards "Fowler Bridge" after the company that built it so many years ago.
