Stone Bridge Across Dyke's Branch, Kansas City, Mo. is the caption on an early postcard published by the Elite Postcard Co. of Kansas City. Where was the bridge? Is it still standing? After much research, visits with historians and perusal of old maps we were still unable to find the answers. Finally Miller Nichols was consulted and he wrote: The postcard is incorrectly labeled 'Dyke's Branch'. The picture is of Brush Creek looking east, the location just north of today's Midwest Research Institute and the bridge is the stone bridge at Rockhill Road.(The bridge was built by William Rockhill Nelson in 1900 and was the first stone bridge in Jackson County.) Dyke's branch, a branch of Indian Creek, is dry at times but often on a rampage during spring run-off floods. Several years ago three lives were lost at 87th Street & Lee boulevard when a motorist attempted to cross through the creek's raging waters as the car was swept downstream. Today Dyke's branch serves as a drainage ditch for the northeast part of Leawood and the Ward Parkway area. Water is carried underground by large sewers at many locations. Our thanks to Mr. Nichols and Gene Kroh for their help. Kansas City Times, March 14, 1986.
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