The Goffena Bridge, also known as the Brockway Ford Bridge, was a 150-foot, pin-connected, Camelback through truss bridge that may have been the last timber truss bridge in the state of Montana. The bridge stood over the Musselshell River for 130 years and was in service for 110 years, first near Roundup, Montana, then at Brockway Ford, 13 miles downstream from its original location.

In June 1893, in response to a petition from a group of Roundup businessmen, the Yellowstone County Commissioners solicited bids for the construction of a bridge over the Musselshell River on the south edge of Roundup. S.M. Hewett & Company beat out three other bridge companies with their bid of $6,100. The company was awarded the contract on August 8 and given a deadline of June 6, 1894 to complete the project.

Hewett fabricated the timber components for the bridge over the winter, then shipped the disassembled truss members to the construction site in the spring. Despite delays in construction of the bridge abutments in May due to rising water, construction of the bridge was completed by the deadline.

In February 1911, Roundup became the county seat of the newly formed Musselshell County. Completion of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (The “Milwaukee Road”) in 1908 and passage of the Enlarged Homestead Act in 1909 brought a flood of new residents to the area, so the county commissioners made plans to improve the county’s network of roads and bridges. Those plans included moving the timber truss bridge at Roundup 13 miles downstream, to Brockway Ford, which was an important river crossing for ranchers and homesteaders traveling to railroad stations in the valley.

In August 1911, Musselshell County contracted with the Security Bridge Company to construct concrete bridge abutments, relocate the bridge, and give it two coats of red paint. The bridge was dismantled, shipped 17 miles to Delphia on railroad cars, and transported 4 miles to the new location by local rancher, Lou Goffena. The bridge was reassembled on the newly constructed bridge abutments and opened to traffic in the spring of 1912.

The bridge remained in service for another 91 years in its new location, but repeated crossings of heavy agricultural equipment through the years severely damaged the structural integrity of the bridge and in 2003, it was condemned. Because of structural deficiencies, the bridge was not salvageable for reuse, but Musselshell County has salvaged parts of the structure which they plan to display in recognition of the bridge’s historic significance.

Learn more about the bridge’s history in the June 2020 Newsline article by Jon Axline (page 7).

Before Construction