East Turtle Creek Bridge

Photo: Janis Ford, 2/2008

This little Pratt pinned half-hip pony truss bridge crosses East Turtle Creek and carries a private driveway from North Waynesville Rd. in Warren County. The trusses appear to predate 1900. Likely the concrete deck replaced a wooden one relatively recently. The bridge abutments appear to be modern (cement blocks) and the pinned lower chords are not under tension so deck support beams likely have been added. The bridge may have been moved here from another location. Many of these small bridges have been saved by use on private drives.

Pleasant Hill Dam Bridge

Photo: Gary Erdos, 2008

This Pratt through truss bridge connects Pleasant Hill Dam with a water intake structure in Pleasant Hill Lake. Built in 1936 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's, the dam is right in the middle of two major recreation areas; Mohican State Park and Mohican Memorial Forest below the dam and Pleasant Hill Lake Park, created by the dam, above it. The dam and lake are located on the Clear Fork branch of the Mohican River, west of Loudonville, in Ashland County.

Meldahl Dam Bridge

Photo; (top) Satolli Glassmeyer 2/2008

Can you see it in the aerial photo? It is even more difficult when the foliage is out! This little Pratt pony bridge over Bear Creek is just north of Meldahl Dam in Clermont County. According to the county historian it once led to a school and two houses between U.S. 52 and the Ohio River. When the dam was built in the late 1950's the road was eventually closed and the bridge abandoned. Except for the lack of everything wooden (probably removed to prevent use) it looks in remarkably good condition.

Fish Creek Bridge

Photo: Gary Erdos, 2008
SFN 5054079

This bridge is abandoned on the closed and very deteriorated north end of Fish Creek Road near Alliance in Mahoning County. The bridge is similar to the Longman Road Bridge in Preble County and has been variously described as an Iron Howe Truss or a double intersect Warren truss. The build date is given by OHBI as 1880 but it could be older. This is a rare old bridge and needs to be preserved, which likely will require it be moved to a protected site.