Our Bridge and Bookshelf Bar

Our bar is just about ready for craft beer to be served across it, and we are currently hiring taproom servers! (https://secondchapterbrewing.com/opportunities.html)

The bar top is made of Douglas Fir that once spanned the Keystone Canal here in Keith County. The base of the bar includes some of the bookcases that were custom built for the Goodall City Library and repurposed here.

​Here's the story of how these elements got their Second Chapter...

---

***long-winded post warning!***

Several decades ago, the narrow, original canal bridges built during the construction of Kingsley Dam and Lake McConaughy were replaced to make room for wider, modern bridges.

Lisa's father Gerry Kraus bought a canal bridge on an auction. We all wondered what in the world he was going to do with a bridge -- it didn't seem like the most practical purchase for a dryland farmer -- but he is a man with a long-range vision.

Over the winter, he loaded timbers, beams, and planks onto a trailer. One by one. By hand. Using basic physics. And building a few muscles and blisters in the process.

He then stacked them back at the farm. One by one.

Some of them were used several years later to build steps in the shop.

A large beam was used for the foundation of his brother's home addition in the '90s.

Another beam was used to span a doorway removed during renovations to the farmhouse where we (Richard and Lisa) live.

​More than once, the stack of wood had to be moved to make room for something else in the equipment row.
Several times, Lisa's mom Shari implored him to use them or get rid of them.

But he kept them.

This fall, we chose two 30' beams.

​We removed the ends and then worked with Crewdson Creations in North Platte to cut the beams down the middle with their sawmill.
​

Steve of Seifer Construction then made bowtie joints from walnut to pull the pieces together at center and at the mitered corners. He also adapted and reassembled the bookcases from the old library to form the base

We sanded and ground away the places where the wood had rotted around the original nail bed. And then we sanded some more.

Several coats of butcher-block oil and conditioner later, we are thrilled with the results and look forward to seeing everyone enjoy this bar.

Which one of you will be first to place your drink too close to the tapered edge of the bar?

To see more of Steve Seifer's work, check out Allsorts in Sutherland.