MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:

SEPTEMBER 11, 1999

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PRESENTATION

Chairperson Jordahl called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order at the east end of the historic Sutliff Bridge, in the unincorporated town of Sutliff, Cedar Township, at 10:40 a.m. Members present were: Charles Duffy, Jonathan Jordahl, Mike Lehman, Sally Stutsman, and Carol Thompson.

PRESENTATION TO SUTLIFF BRIDGE AUTHORITY

Jordahl displayed the certificate commemorating the historic nature of the bridge at which they were gathered. He indicated the attachment people have to the bridge- spending time sitting on the bridge, bicycling, and doing artwork on it. Jordahl recognized local residents’ efforts in restoring and honoring the bridge, particularly the members of the Sutliff Bridge Authority. He also noted the involvement of Board of Supervisors Administrative Assistant Carol Peters in getting the dedication put together.

Jordahl reviewed some facts about Sutliff Bridge. Sutliff Bridge Authority Chair Ray Brannaman also added some historical perspective. In 1981 Johnson County started the process of getting the bridge placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Jordahl thanked the Sutliff Bridge Authority for their work in completing the task.

The iron bridge was constructed in 1898 at the crossing of Sutliff’s ferry, operated by Allan C. Sutliff. It was told that eventually a sandbar formed in the center of the river that made the ferry unworkable, causing area residents to travel many miles to the next crossing in order to get to the county seat in Iowa City. In 1897 the contract for the bridge was let to J. R. Sheely & Co. of Des Moines, Iowa . The bid was $12,000. It was completed and accepted by the county in April of 1898, with dedication on June 3rd, 1898. This was the first bridge across the Cedar River at this location and replaced the ferry.

The bridge structure is an 827 x 16 foot eight span wood trestle with one 27 x 16 wood trestle span to the east approach. In 1981, it was one of the few remaining Parker trusses known to exist in the secondary road system in Iowa and is also one of, if not the longest, Parker truss in the state. Even though this is no longer in the secondary road system, it still remains one of the longest Parker trusses in the state.

In the fall of 1984 the Sutliff Bridge Authority leased from Johnson County the old bridge being dedicated. Construction of the "new" Sutliff Bridge was finished in the fall of 1983. On September 13, 1984 The Johnson County Board of Supervisors renamed the new Sutliff Bridge the "Cilek Bridge" in honor of Lorada E. Cilek for her long hard work to accomplish funding for this bridge.

Jordahl read aloud the text of the certificate placing the bridge on the national register of historic places and presented it to the Sutliff Bridge Authority. Members of the Sutliff Bridge Authority Board of Directors are: Ray Brannaman, Don Brannaman, Archie Brannaman, Randy Brannaman, and John Jensen. The Secretary/Treasurer Rita Brannaman displayed a plaque that will be hung in the Sutliff store near the bridge and a permanent plaque will be affixed to the bridge. Rita Brannaman thanked the Board of Supervisors and Peters for coming out to dedicate the bridge.

Adjourned at 10:55 a.m.

Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor

By Casie Parkins, Recording Secretary