This 1889 Colorado Bridge Shows Pioneer Ingenuity

This photo of a hand-built bridge in Colorado popped up on social, and all we thought was, "Nope!"

The pioneers of our great state were braver, stronger, and could endure more than we could nowadays. Even if you think you're the "manly-man."

Get our free mobile app

Coloradans Were Built Differently in the Early Days of the State

The first thing we can think of when thinking of the early days in Colorado, people had to travel by foot, horse, or wagon.

We're not sure if you've ever ridden a horse, but it's not the most comfortable place to be. Sure, if you're good at it, you can do it for hours on end, but if you're being honest, your rear hurts a little after that.

We're not the type to walk farther than the printer if we don't have to. Yep, we're that lazy, but we weren't born during a time requiring a lot of walking, and we're OK with that.

And traveling by wagon?! No. Thank. You. Hard stop.

We know for a fact that we could never -ever, ever, ever- live in any of the mining towns during winter. There's a reason most of them became ghost towns; winters were harsh and unbearable.

Then you had all unreliable drinking sources, frequent diseases, harsh winters, rogue cowboys, etc., etc., etc. We could go on for days, but yours and ours attention span isn't long enough.

This is the Reason Pioneer Coloradans had Giant Cohones

The photo of this bridge near Silverton, Colorado, was taken around 1889. It's seemingly built from a giant set of Lincoln Logs. How in the world does it stay up?

We know, they were smart, crafty builders. More so than now, really. Sure, we have all the technology to help ensure safety and longevity. There is, however, something to say about the skills proven by old-time construction teams. Not to mention the techniques they acquired from years of experience.

Just look at what the one section is perched upon, a ledge, probably no wider than three feet. You know that's not going to hold for very long. Rain. Snow. Flooding. It will all take its toll and wear it away. That's probably why the bridge is no longer there. Right?!

If something like this were built today, we'd honestly not trust it. But that's just us.

Let us know how much trust you'd have in something like this.

Remember when we mentioned traveling by wagon --or "coach" in this photo? Yeah, that's gonna be a bouncy ride. You better hope that the man driving the team of horses can handle all that horsepower. We're not speed; we're talking stubbornness of the animals.

READ MORE: Amazing Photos from Colorado's Historic Past Will Make You Happy

We know for a fact that we wouldn't have survived a day back then, and we're OK with that. We love our TVs, gas-powered cars, and over-engineered bridges of today. Thank you.