National and State Registers of Historic Places
East Stone Arch Bridge - Lake Wabaunsee
E. Flint Hills Drive .9 miles S of K-4 (Lake Wabaunsee)
Eskridge (Wabaunsee County)
Listed in National Register
Dec 30, 2009
Architect: John Brink, WPA Engineer
Category: road-related
Thematic Nomination: Masonry Arch Bridges of KansasNew Deal-era Resources of Kansas
The idea for a recreational lake in Wabaunsee County was conceived in the 1920s and - with the help of Federal New Deal programs - finally became a reality in the late 1930s. Lake Wabaunsee's grand opening was held on August 26, 1939. A single paved roadway encircles the New Deal-era lake and includes two historic stone arch bridges. The construction of the three-arch stone bridge took place in 1937 and 1938 and was funded by the Works Progress Administration. The bridge is nominated to the National Register as part of the "Masonry Arch Bridges of Kansas" and "New Deal-Era Resources of Kansas" multiple property listings. Today, lakefront houses dating from the middle and late 20th century dot the perimeter. New Deal-era camp buildings are no longer extant and modern development prevents listing the entire lake site in the National Register. The East Bridge remains an integral part of the historic road system encircling Lake Wabaunsee.
