Ohio Historic Bridges

Creek Bridge

2010-02-11T14:46:00.004-05:00

I recently (6/5/2009) visited this heavy duty bridge first reported by Nathan Clark Jr. on an abandoned road in Trumbull County. This could be shortest Pratt through span bridge in Ohio! It used to go to Hubbard Furnace and was built to carry heavy iron loads. Another abandoned bridge - a concrete arch - is a short distance from this bridge and is clearly visible from the deck.

Mill Road Bowstring Bridge in Knox County

2009-06-20T14:43:00.001-04:00

Built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company in 1872 this bridge was abandoned in Knox County. It was moved to Foundation Park in Mt. Vernon Nov 2, 2008 and now awaits renovations and deployment on a walking trail in the park.

The McClure Road Bridge

2008-11-15T13:55:00.004-05:00

Photo: 7/2008 Anthony Dillon

Built by the Massillon Bridge Company in 1882 this bridge is abandoned in Darke County over Greenville Creek.

The Fulton Farms Bridge

2008-07-25T12:21:00.001-04:00

Photo: Doug Miller 4/2008

Reported 2/7/07 on Fulton Farms property in Miami County by Bob Heffner on Ebberts Road. Private road is closed before bridge.

The Blaine Bridges

2008-06-06T12:23:00.002-04:00

Photo: 2008 rj

The Blaine S-Bridge (foreground) and the Blaine viaduct (background). The S-Bridge carried the Old National Road - now closed at the bridge. The viaduct carries Ohio Route 40.

The Peasley Road Bridge

2008-06-05T14:23:00.001-04:00

Photo: Gary Erdos, 4/2008

This small Warren Pony bridge is abandoned over Chance Creek (very near the Vermilion River) in Lorain County. A picture in Flickr first made me aware of its existence. The road is closed and it is about a 1/2 mile walk from the end of Peasley Road.

Stone Arch, SFN 7661274

2008-04-11T13:58:00.001-04:00

Photo: Gary Erdos, 3/2008

Closed spandrel filled stone bridge (built 1903) over the West Branch of Nimishillen Creek in Stark County.

The Creek Bridge in Trumbull County

2008-04-11T10:49:00.000-04:00

Photo: Gary Erdos, 1/2008

This sturdy looking Pratt through truss bridge sits closed and abandoned in the town of Hubbard, Trumbull County. Reported by Nathan Clark, Jr. it may be the shortest span through truss bridge in Ohio! The bridge crosses Little Yankee Run and carries a closed road that used to go to Hubbard Furnace. An abandoned concrete arch bridge is just south.

The Tarbox Stone Bridge

2008-03-05T13:50:00.006-05:00

Photo: 2007 rj

The Tarbox closed spandrel stone arch bridge (built 1867) carries Tarbox-Cemetery Road over Massie Creek in Greene County. A recent restoration included a new steel reinforced cast-in-place concrete deck. Excellent condition.

East Turtle Creek Bridge

2008-02-27T20:19:00.002-05:00

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

2008-02-26T21:10:00.001-05:00

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

2008-02-21T20:51:00.003-05:00

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

2008-02-08T10:46:00.000-05:00

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.

The Vinton Iron Furnace Bridges

2008-01-23T11:30:00.000-05:00

Photos: Heinz Raidel, 2008

These photos show a pair of Pratt pony trusses located over Elk Fork near the Vinton Iron Furnace historic site in Vinton County. The road and bridges are abandoned and deteriorated on land owned by Mead Timber, Inc. They are accessible by walking from the bypass road (TH-7).

The Vinton Furnace started production using the charcoal process to produce pig iron in 1854. The charcoal furnaces later switched to use coal in the original furnaces. In 1873 a “modern” plant consisting of 24 ovens was constructed on the site. It ceased operation in 1883 presumably as a result of high sulphur content of the local coal. Parts of the stack and foundations still exist but there is a lot of overgrowth that threatens these remains.

The bridges appear to be younger than the 1883 closing date of the Vinton Iron Furnace. Likely they were not abandoned because of closing of Vinton Furnace but as a result of a subsequent repositioning of Mead Road (also called Stone Quarry Rd and TH-7) to a more circuitous route to the east in order to avoid crossing Elk Fork. Examination of a road map shows the bridges are on the more direct route likely taken by the original road.

The Precht Bridge

2008-01-15T17:13:00.000-05:00

Photo: Anne Ellis 2007

The bridge is an abandoned Pratt pinned through truss bridge of the style built by the Massillon Bridge Co. about 1900. It is located in the Mary Jane Thurston State Park near Napoleon in Henry County and crosses North Turkeyfoot Creek on a dirt trail that goes to the nearby abandoned Showman-Edwards Cemetery.

There is a metal plaque attached to the bridge memorializing William H. Precht who died there in a 1931 tractor accident. This may have contributed to the belief that the site is haunted. Read more about that at Grave Addiction - a website documenting cemeteries.

Warren Deck Truss Simulation

2008-01-07T13:23:00.000-05:00

This bridge is a computer model designed using free software called West Point Designer, which is available from the US Military Academy website.

The software lets you build a virtual bridge, calculate its cost and test its strength with a dynamic load. Get it wrong and the bridge collapses! You can submit your successful design to the USMA website to see how your bridge compares to the designs of others based on cost. It's a great way to learn how bridge truss configuration contributes to strength.

Knapp Road Bridge

2007-12-26T13:15:00.000-05:00

Photo: Jeremy Clevenger, 2005
SFN 6760090

A railroad crossing truss bridge. Many of such bridges are beam or girder construction rather than trusses! This (1905) 3-span Warren riveted pony truss carries Knapp Road over the CSXT RR tracks in Portage County and was a common style of overpass bridge built for the railroads in the early 20th century.

Woodrow Road Bridge

2007-12-06T19:34:00.000-05:00

Photo: Don O'Brien 11/2007

This Pratt Pinned Through bridge was found by Don O'Brien on Woodrow Road (TH 83) in Ross County. The road has an old "private" sign and the bridge is not listed in the OBI (so it could actually be private). From its general appearance, lattice work and guard rail it appears to be a turn of the century Massillon Bridge Company design and in good condition. It is similar in construction to the private Yatesville Bridge in nearby Fayette County. As always, see the Bridge List for more information about both of these bridges.

Dean Road Bridge

2007-11-23T10:47:00.000-05:00

Photo: Nathan Holth 6/2007
SFN 4734734

This fine example of a Double Intersect Pratt Through Bridge was built by the Massillon Bridge Co. in 1898 and carries Dean Road over the Vermilion River. Although located in Lorain County, it is jointly maintained with Erie County. The bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and was recently repaired. However, it has been reported that the bridge may be closed and is at risk of removal. This would be an unnecessary loss of a historic bridge in a lightly traveled rural location conducive to preservation.

Express your concerns to: Lorain and Erie counties.

Fort Steuben Bridge

2007-10-30T21:03:00.000-04:00

Photo: 9/2007 rj
SFN 4101987

The Ohio River is crossed by some large suspension bridges. This 1928 steel-wire suspension bridge carries old US-22 between Steubenville, OH and Weirton, WV. Note the Warren truss-work to stiffen the deck - a feature of virtually all suspension bridges. The bridge is still in service but scheduled for demolition in 2009 as it has been essentially replaced by the cable stay bridge partially visible in the background. The photo was taken from the Ohio side at a boat launch area.

Arion Road Bridge

2007-10-20T13:55:00.000-04:00

Photo: Rod Detty, 6/2007
SFN 7332521

This Pratt pinned through truss bridge was moved to Arion Road over Scioto Brush Creek, Scioto County in 1944. Such reuse was common during WW II due to metal shortages. The location of the original site and bridge age is unknown but it appears 19th century. Don O'Brien reported (8/2007) that this picturesque historic bridge has been removed by the county.

Zoar Iron Bridge

2007-10-12T16:06:00.000-04:00

Photo: 9/2007 rj
Old CR-82 Bridge

Built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Co. in 1883 just SW of Zoar in Tuscarawas County on a now abandoned section of County Road 82 this bridge was faithfully restored in 2004 for use on the Zoar Valley Trail as a pedestrian bridge. The iron 3-span Pratt pinned through truss bridge is a rare early example of continuous span construction. It crosses the Tuscarawas River.

Massillon Lattice Bowstring

2007-10-02T10:33:00.000-04:00

Photo: 9/2007 rj

SFN 4133773

This rare iron bowstring bridge is just north of Dillonvale in Jefferson County. Remarkably it is still in service on Township Highway 125 but may have been moved here long ago from another location. The design of the lattice arch indicates it was built in the 19 century by the Massillon Bridge Company. Modifications to the deck supports have been made but the arch appears original. It's posted for 10 tons but has been rated "intolerable" by the CE and I fear for its future. The Laymon Road Bridge exhibited in Clinton County is a similar example by this builder.

Mill Road Bridge

2007-09-19T16:42:00.000-04:00

Photo: 1/2007 rj
SFN 4236157

Built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company in 1872 this rare Iron Bowstring rests abandoned on a closed section of Mill Road over Wakatomika Creek in Knox County. The Mount Vernon Mayor has considered saving this deteriorating bridge by moving it to Foundation Park. However, the Knox County Engineer is proposing its demolition despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Send encouragement to: Mount Vernon Mayor Mavis

Appeals to: J Henry,

Riverbend Bridge

2007-09-06T19:36:00.000-04:00

Photo: Nathan Holth
SFN 3234312

Built by the Canton Bridge Co. in 1895 this iron Pratt through truss bridge over the Blanchard River is located near the entrance to the Riverbend Recreation Area. This historic Hancock County bridge is to be replaced by a new 2-lane covered bridge, likely similar to those in Union County. However the historical significance of this iron bridge is apparently being recognized and the most recent news indicates the bridge may be moved and preserved in the Riverbend area.

Send encouragement to the county engineer.

Rommels Mill Bridge

2007-09-02T11:34:00.000-04:00

SFN 7035462
Photo: 8/2007 rj

Another great example of historic bridge preservation took place in Richland County. The bridge is a 1913 Warren Through Truss featuring lacing on many of the diagonal members. Well integrated guard rails have been added and exposed metal has been galvanized. Rehabilitation was done by US Bridge Company. The bridge should last for many years.

The bridge is situated adjacent to the remains of the abandoned Rommels Mill and the site is a photographer's delight. Thank the CE

Oxford Road Bridge

2007-08-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

Photo: Brian Rhodes, URS Corp, 8/2007

CE Association Preservation Award Winner!

This old (1860s) iron Bowstring Bridge was built by the Massillon Bridge Co. It was abandoned and forgotten on Oxford Road over Howard Ck. (39.2817,-84.74054). Thanks to the preservation efforts of Hamilton county, the bridge was reconstructed off-site and then moved in 2006 to the Crosby Township's Senior Center at 8910 Willey Road, Hamilton County where it is now part of a pedestrian walking trail. Read an account of its restoration in Structure

St. James Road Bridge

2007-08-06T15:36:00.001-04:00

Photo: 4/2006 rj
SFN 5132428

Located in Marion County adjacent to the Kings Mill Golf Club this Parker through truss bridge crosses the Olentangy River. The extensive use of ornamental lacing is unusual for the reported 1937 construction date. The bridge is also pinned not rivieted as reported by OHBI hence it is probably much older!

This bridge is scheduled for replacement in 2012 according to the office of the county engineer. Preservation does not appear to be under consideration!

Send appeals to: County Engineer, Bradley Irons

Prospect Bridge

2007-08-01T13:21:00.000-04:00

Photo: 9/2005 rj
SFN 5102251

Prospect in Marion County was home to this Parker pinned through truss bridge until removed in July. Built by the Standard Engineering Corp in 1913, it was the most distinguishing landmark of Prospect. Those who thought it couldn't be saved need to take a look on Main Street in Newark, Ohio. The county is set to destroy two more historic through truss bridges in the next few years - the Clark Road and St. James Road bridges.

Send appeals to: County Engineer, Bradley Irons

Howard Bridge

2007-07-27T13:54:00.000-04:00

Photo: 11/2004 rj
SFN 4231341

It's too late to save this one. It was quickly demolished 6/11/07. This iron Double Intersect Pratt Through (Whipple) bridge was built by the Columbia Bridge Works in 1872 on a now abandoned section of Route 35 over the Kokosing River in Knox county. The south span of this 2-span bridge was removed years ago. The center pier was damaged by recent spring floods and was in danger of collapse bringing the bridge with it. The Mt Vernon mayor proposed moving this bridge to Foundation Park to save it but failure to convince the city council to partially fund this project doomed these efforts. Removal consisted of dropping the bridge into the river and trashing the pieces. See video from the Mount Vernon News.

Notice of Site Changes

2007-07-25T14:20:00.000-04:00

Notice: the role of this BLOG has changed. It will now contain only archival material that has been published in OldOhioBridges.com for a limited time (usually a month or less).

The previous seven (7) entries have been moved here from another website thus the posting date does not properly indicate their original publication dates, which were between December 2006 and June 2007.

Orange Road Bridge

2007-07-25T13:56:00.000-04:00

Photo: 2004 rj
SFN 2132184

The county is now debating the future of this Delaware County bridge. Built in 1898 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places this single lane bridge may be a victim of the increasing traffic in rapidly growing southern Delaware County. Locals are fighting for its preservation but it looks like the bridge will be bypassed.

The Clark Road Bridge

2007-07-25T13:53:00.000-04:00

Photo: 2005 rj
SFN 5130158

Located north-west of La Rue in Marion County. The road and bridge are closed. Built in 1916 by the Central Concrete and Construction Company, this bridge appears in good shape except for a damaged rail section inflected by a vehicle in 2004. This decorative example of a Pratt Through Truss bridge reportedly is to be replaced.

Express your concerns to: mailto:engineer@co.marion.oh.us

Whetstone Iron Bowstring Bridge

2007-07-25T13:51:00.000-04:00

Photo: 5/2005
SFN 5930197

Located in Mount Gilead, Morrow County, this rare iron bowstring was built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company in 1879. It was in service until damaged by a vehicle 8/2005 and now its future is uncertain.

Express your concerns to: mailto:morrowco@rrohio.com

Callender Road Bridge

2007-07-25T13:45:00.000-04:00

Photo: Rob Trainor, 2006
SFN 432954

This is an unusual 3-span "compound" bridge (1913) having plate girder pony approaches and a Pratt through center-span. The bridge is markedly skewed (one side of the bridge is advanced relative to the other side). Located in Ashtabula County; it is reportedly funded for replacement in 2009.

Send your concerns to: mailto:info@ashtabulacountyengineer.org

Great Miami River Bridge

2007-07-25T13:37:00.000-04:00

Photo: 3/2007 rj

SFN 4631838

Built by the Massillon Bridge Co. in 1882 this Double Intersect Pratt (or Whipple) Pinned Through Truss bridge is in Logan County over the Great Miami River. This rare iron bridge is reportedly to be removed this summer, a short-sighted decision that would result in a significant loss.

Send concerns to mailto:loganeng@co.logan.oh.us

Note added 4/3/2007: County denies that it has plans to work on the above bridge according to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.

Scioto River Bridge

2007-07-25T13:34:00.000-04:00

Photo: 6/2005 rj
SFN 6533159

This camelback 3-span through truss bridge (1914) is one of several multi-spans in Pickaway County built by the Oregonia Bridge Company. Reportedly it is to be removed next year.

Send concerns to: county engineer

Johnston-Slagle Road Bridge

2007-07-25T13:29:00.000-04:00

Photo: 5/2006 Nathan Holth
SFN 7538081

Built by the Morse Bridge Company in 1900 this 2-span Pratt Pinned Through bridge crosses the Great Miami River in Shelby County. Bids were let for replacement in 2007. This loss would leave only one historic bridge in the county.

Send your concerns to: Shelby County Engineer

Historic Bridge Lost in Knox County, Ohio

2007-06-29T09:41:00.000-04:00

Photo: 2004
This bridge over the Kokosing River was removed 6/11/07 by the county following fload damage to the pier that threatened a collapse of the bridge (the other span of the bridge was removed years ago). Mt. Vernon and county officials could not agree on contributing the $24,000 needed to save the span. This iron bridge was built in 1872 by the Columbia Bridge Works and was on the National Register of Historic Places.

A Parker Pony Truss Bridge in Pickaway County

2007-06-06T10:01:00.000-04:00

Photos: Don O'Brien 6/2007
This 1935 bridge survives on busy State Route 56 probably because of its size and reported reconstruction in 1983. It is a relatively rare truss for a pony bridge (not having horizontal cross members above the road).

New Covered Bridge Opens in Union County

2007-05-26T16:23:00.000-04:00

This new covered bridge may appear all wood but the truss it utilizes is a combination of wood and steel. This is not a new innovation as many old covered bridges used a combination of iron or steel and wood in their truss. Most notably - and probably the best CB truss - the Howe truss used metal as an adjustable vertical tension member. As metal got cheaper wood was done away with altogether in the truss, which meant the wood roof was no longer necessary to protect it from rotting and covered bridges became history!

John Smollen, former County Engineer of Ashtabula county is leading a minor rebirth by building several new wood CBs in Ohio, which he argues can outlive some modern materials. These are not replicas of historic CBs but utilize a modern variant of a Pratt Truss of his design. A Pratt truss was rarely used in all wood bridges because wood is less suitable for use under tension as required in the long (diagonal) members of this truss. The Pratt truss did come to dominate in metal bridges because metal is better suited for tension loading.

Now if we just had a similar champion for iron truss bridges.

Wheeling Suspension Bridge

2007-05-14T11:27:00.000-04:00

Photo 5/2007

Not really Ohio (but close) this was the longest suspension bridge in the world at 1,010 ft when built in 1849 and is the oldest such bridge in service in the country. It spans the east channel of the Ohio River from Wheeling Island to Wheeling WV. Its deck was blown away in 1854 in much the manner the Tacoma Narrows suspension bridge was in 1940. It was quickly rebuilt with a truss reinforced deck to prevent future wind damage. This lesson apparently was lost on the designers of the Tacoma bridge!

National Road S-bridges

2007-05-08T20:59:00.000-04:00

New Concord S-bridge

Guernsey County S-bridge

Blaine S-bridge & Blaine Hill Viaduct

They are not metal but eastern Ohio is home to these three restored masonry arch S-bridges on the Old National Road (later Rt 40). The Blaine bridge is the oldest in Ohio (1828) and is part of a trio of adjacent bridges two of which are visible in the lower picture. The S-bridge carried the National Road and is now closed to traffic. The Viaduct seen in the background carries Rt 40 and just behind it (not visible) is another bridge that carries I-70.

The bridges are S-shaped so that they cross the waterway with the shortest span.

Three Bridges

2007-03-30T17:38:00.000-04:00

I found these three bridges in Union County east of Axe Handle Road and SR 161. They are over Little Darby Creek on private property separated by 1/4 mile or so. They appear to be late 19C aand may have been moved here from their original sites but I know little about them. Such finds are one of the joys of bridge hunting!

Private Driveway Bridge

2007-03-14T14:13:00.000-04:00

Photo: Janis Ford, 2007

Some people actually have historic bridges on their private driveways! This one is over Dry Creek in Licking County. It's a Pratt Pony and could be late 19th century. Note the lattice construction of the truss.

Ohio Historic Bridge Map

2007-03-07T18:32:00.000-05:00

The yellow dots on this Ohio map represent the locations of 396 historic iron or steel truss bridges built in Ohio before 1942. The red triangles are the 120 historic wooden covered bridges in Ohio (replica, private and non-truss bridges are excluded).

Click the picture for a larger image. For further information about how this information was gathered and how to find the bridges go to oldohiobridges.com

Updated 6/29/07

Newport Bridge, Cincinnati, Ohio

2007-03-06T19:41:00.000-05:00

Photo: Jake Mecklenborg

This beautiful picture of the Newport, aka Purple People bridge shows a night time view of this 1872 structure. The bridge has been renovated many times over the years. Originally a railroad bridge it is now for pedestrians only and has tours of the upper structure for those who aren't bothered by heights!

Oak Knoll Park Bridge in Need of Preservation

2007-03-04T11:42:00.000-05:00

Photo: Todd Wilson 2007

The oldest iron bridge in Ohio (1859) is currently an exhibit at the Oak Knoll Park in Massillon. It's a rare Howe Truss and looks in urgent need of repair. Goes to show that moving a bridge to a park does not always mean preservation.

OldOhioBridges.com

2007-02-26T21:11:00.000-05:00

Want more information about Ohio metal truss bridges? Visit this website.

Schweitzer Road Bridge, Ashtabula, Ohio

2007-02-18T14:51:00.000-05:00

Photo: Rob Trainor, 2007

This is a modern Warren Through Truss bridge located in Ashtabula County over the Grand River. The build date is fairly recent (1996). It is a relatively rare bridge as the majority of such bridges are low "pony"configurations; that is, they lack the horizontal overhead cross beams.

Green Hill Road Bridge

2007-02-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

Photo Janis Ford, 2007

This recent photo shows a snow covered bridge in Ashtabula County. This is a great example of a circa 1900 Warren riveted polygonal pony truss steel bridge. Newer examples of such bridges don't have the nice "lacing" on the diagonal truss members but tend to use plain I-beams.

Indian Mill Bridge in Wyandot County, OH

2007-01-16T15:17:00.000-05:00

Photo: Brad Smith 2006
This bridge over the Sandusky River was recently bypassed by a new steel bridge, which is barely visible behind the old bridge (click to see a larger image). So far the old bridge remains in service adjacent to the Mill it takes its name from. A very picturesque site!

Berry Boy Scout Camp, Hancock County, OH

2006-11-16T14:53:00.000-05:00

Photo: Tom Fritsch
This small truss bridge is located within the camp grounds on a private road. Its design is that of a Pratt Half-Hip Pony. Whether it was moved there from another location after the camp was built (in 1928) is not known but the bridge looks older than the camp.

The Gallman Bridge

2006-08-19T14:13:00.000-04:00

Originally built in 1887 and moved to its present site in 2002 the Gallman is a fine example of a Whipple Iron Truss bridge. It is now on a bike/walk path near Granville, Ohio.

Preserved Metal Truss Bridge in Westerville, OH

2006-08-18T14:54:00.000-04:00

Westerville Truss Bridge

The nicely restored Whipple Truss bridge was moved from elsewhere in the county to a pathway in Westerville.

Roebling Suspension Bridge

2006-06-05T18:42:00.000-04:00

The second annual Roeblingfest was held on June 4th in Cincinnati at the suspension bridge. The primary attraction was the bridge tours of this 1867 structure. It's in fine shape but scheduled for a needed paint job this year. The new paint color is still not official but word on the street was it will be "Kentucky blue".

Brinkhaven Canal Skewed Bridge

2006-04-18T17:31:00.000-04:00

This bridge looks picturesque in this setting over an abandoned canal in Brinkhaven, Ohio. In life it's in fairly bad condition and has been closed for some time. A top view would reveal that the bridge is built skewed to accommodate crossing the canal at an oblique angle.

The Ohio Village Bridge

2006-03-25T19:18:00.000-05:00

This bridge was moved from near Bucyrus, OH to the Ohio Historical Center Village in Columbus in 1988. It's an old (1867) iron bowstring bridge.

Under the Interstate

2006-03-05T20:42:00.000-05:00

The bridge is almost beneath the the interstate overpass and hard to see from the freeway.

Abandoned Bridge near Mansfield, Ohio

2006-03-05T20:25:00.000-05:00

When the I-71 interstate freeway was built in the 60's the road carried by this bridge (Crider Road) was in the way. The road is long gone but luckily they saved the bridge and it still stands. The floor is removed but the structure looks otherwise complete.

Quick trip to Morrow County

2006-02-26T17:42:00.000-05:00

I took advantage of the clear weather to visit bridges in Morrow County today. This bridge is bypassed by Route 42 and is abandoned. The old road is now closed at this bridge. The truss is a modified Pratt.

Holmes County Bridge

2006-02-20T11:53:00.000-05:00

This may be the last old metal bridge in Holmes County. I know of 4 other examples of this bridge style: two each in Ohio and Nebraska. Built by the Canton Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio about the turn of the 19th century it has a peculiar trusswork. Its been classified as a lattice truss but I'm not convinced the lattice is anything more than a guard rail. The diagonal angle beams appear to be doing the load bearing.

The Bridge of Dreams

2006-01-30T09:56:00.000-05:00

What is a covered bridge? If you know anything about covered bridges you know the major reason they are covered is to protect the wood trusswork supports from the weather. That is, however picturesque the result the reason for the cover is basically functional. The pictured bridge was built as a railway bridge in the 1920's. Later the right of way was converted to a bike trail and a cover added to the steel girder bridge in 1998. The cover is actually functional - not to protect the trusswork (there is none) - but to protect the people from falling from this high 4-span structure.

A New Gallery of Old Bridges

2005-12-17T12:42:00.000-05:00

Want to see some examples of old metal truss bridges in Ohio? Go to my website and take a look. Its ogranized by county. Just click the map to see if that county has any metal bridges built before 1920 that still exist. It will even tell you how to visit the bridges.

Ohio Metal Bridge Locations

2005-12-07T18:29:00.000-05:00

The colored dots on the Ohio map represent all pre 1920 metal truss bridge locations according to the 2005 Ohio DOT Historic Bridge Inventory. The black dots are bridges that are known to be gone. The yellow dots bridges known to still exist. The blue dots represent bridges that have not yet been confirmed as still existing.

Go to http://oldohiobridges.com if you want the details!

Bowstring Bridge in Caledonia, Oh

2005-11-05T22:03:00.000-05:00

Caledonia "Park" Bridge

This rare bowstring bridge is abandoned just north of Caledonia Ohio. This location is eventually to become a park with the bridge as its entry.

An Abandoned Bridge in Logan County

2005-10-02T18:44:00.000-04:00

This little Warren Pony Truss Bridge is located off Township Road 26 in Logan County. It looks like it has been abandoned for some time as the decking is completely gone and there is a lot of overgrowth.

Look closely through the plant growth and you can see a standard "Weight Limit" sign for this bridge. The photo below gives a better view.

You've Got To Be Kidding!

2005-10-02T18:42:00.000-04:00

The Ohio DOT weight limit sign looks fairly new! I'm guessing the workers got quite a kick out of putting this one up. However the bridge is officially listed as "in service" as of 2005 so it must have a sign. I wonder how they came up with the limits?

Ohio Historic Bridge Association Fall Tour

2005-09-20T13:47:00.000-04:00

Knowlton Covered Bridge

On Sunday I visited Covered Bridges for a change with the OHBA. This beautiful bridge is in Monroe County. It's closed to traffic and is in bad repair but looks striking in the panoramic photo. CLick the image for larger photo (as usual).

The Clark Road Bridge

2005-09-13T11:49:00.002-04:00

The CLark Road Bridge in Marion County looks well cared for but is closed because of railing damage as shown in the picture above. This does not look all that serious! However, from the state of the road leading to this bridge it appears to have been closed for more than a year.

Damage to the Clark Road Bridge

2005-09-13T11:49:00.000-04:00

Looks like a vehicle went through here! There is a pit in the stream below but no other indication.

The Roseville (OH) Bridge

2005-09-04T16:22:00.000-04:00

This Warren (riveted) Pony Bridge is located in Roseville Ohio (Perry County) on the main (only) road through town. Its listed as built in 1900 although I think its style indicates it's more recent. It has been maintained well.

Unusual Bridge near East Liberty, Logan County, Ohio

2005-09-03T20:13:00.000-04:00

I found this bridge while looking for another (that was gone)near East Liberty (that's where they make Honda Civics in the USA). Its an old (1910) metal stringer bridge, that is, it's supported by simple I-beams rather than a more sophisticated trusswork.

The Egypt Pike Bridge

2005-08-29T09:09:00.000-04:00

This little bridge known as the Egypt Pike Bridge serves as a pedestrian sidewalk in New Holland, Ohio. It is an unusual Iron Bowstring Lattice design. It was built in 1876 and moved East and narrowed to use as a sidewalk in 1987.

On the Road Again.

2005-08-07T20:37:00.000-04:00

Nice Bridge near Lake Alma, Wellston, Ohio

I got out to hunt some bridges this weekend after a bit of a layoff due to a vacation in San Diego and then the Honda Homecoming weekend in Marysville, Oh.

This was my favorite bridge this weekend. It was moved to this location, which is on a bike trail. It has a rare truss called a double intersect Warren.

Bridge at National Road Museum

2005-07-18T14:31:00.000-04:00

This bridge was moved to the National Road/Zane Gray Museum in 2000. Just east of Zanesville, Oh the museum celebrates the National Road (route 40)and the author (Zane Gray). It is a nicely restored Warren Pony built on the original site in 1909.

A bridge Too Far!

2005-06-25T17:58:00.000-04:00

This bridge is in Coshocton County, pretty well in the middle of nowhere. Its not even the bridge I was looking for but a fairly new replacement of the original Pratt Through bridge that was at this site.

Don't be fooled by the nice gravel road in the picture. The "roads" (to use the term loosely) I took to get here were the worst I've encountered and there were miles of them. Mostly dirt with steep hills and tight curves. Sections with deep hard-as-rock dirt ruts and others with sparse gravel. Parts only 8' wide, some sections with grass growing on the crown.

There is a decent route to the bridge if you come from the south-west (that's how I exited). I came to the bridge from the north. I'm surprised these roads were on a map. They have no business being called "Township Highways" as they are not passable by car! I don't know how I kept my street motorcycle shiny side up. The vehicles of choice would have been a dirt-bike or a raised 4-wheel drive pickup. I certainly wouldn't want to be in any wussy SUV.

Road Trip to Pickaway County

2005-06-18T21:49:00.000-04:00

A Pickaway County Pratt Throught Truss Bridge

On Saturday I visited six potential bridge sites in Pickaway County, OH and was pleasantly surprized by what I found. This picture is typical of the large well maintained bridges there. This one was built in 1907 and is over Walnut Creek.

An Ominous Sign for a Bridge Site

2005-06-14T09:57:00.000-04:00

A bridge in Fairfield County is about to be bypassed! Looks like I made my visit just in time as this is a sure sign a new bridge site is being prepared. It's common to build the replacement beside the old bridge. This is done for serveral reasons. Obviously, its less disruptive to traffic but often old bridges cross the waterway at right angles to have the shortest possible span length. This gives the road an "S" shape. The new bridge will straighten the road making a safer approach.

Another Bridge about to be Replaced

2005-06-05T18:55:00.000-04:00

Falls Mill Bridge, Logan, OH

Construction has begun on replacing this fine old (1914) Pennsylvania Truss bridge. Traffic has become too heavy for this structure, which is located on busy State Route 664 in Logan, Ohio.

The question remains. Will they leave it standing next to the new bridge or tear it down?

Hunter Road Bridge Saga Continues.

2005-06-02T09:47:00.000-04:00

The Hunter Road Bridge debate continues in Knox County. See this article in KnoxPages

http://www.knoxpages.com/?NewsID=3159

The heavy flooding earlier this year has caused damage to the bridge, which was recently recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

Pinned Truss Bridge Detail

2005-05-30T12:36:00.000-04:00

This photo shows the eyes on the truss members of a pinned lower chord metal truss bridge in Morrow County. It was built in 1874. These members are in tension so they can be thin as there is no concern about buckling. This structure allows flexibility of the bridge and better distribution of loads. Newer bridges tended to have heavier members with riveted or welded joints.

Morrow County, Ohio, Tubular Bowstring Bridge.

2005-05-25T20:40:00.000-04:00

The Whetstone Bridge

Well I'm continuing to explore Morrow County, Ohio and I have not been disappointed. On Saturday I found 11 of the 13 bridges that were listed as extant actually were! That's a very good percentage in this "game".

The pictured bridge was constructed in 1879 and is still in daily service in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. Called a Bowstring you can see how it gets its name. The arch (Bow) supports the bridge loads. The lower cord acts like a bowstring and is in tension. This is one of the few Bowstring bridges in Ohio still in service.

This bridge is similar to the abandoned Mill Road Bridge in Knox county that I pictured earlier (look back).

Morrow County Road Trip #2

2005-05-15T16:46:00.000-04:00

Pratt Half-Hip in Morrow Co.

Morrow County seems to be a haven for metal truss bridges such as this nice little Pratt Pony. Six of the seven targeted bridges on today's ride were still extant. Even the seventh looked like a very recent replacement so I hadn't missed it by much!

Spring is well upon us now, which makes for better riding but bare trees reveal the bridges better. Also old bridges and dead looking trees blend better asthetically don't you think?.

A Knox County Pratt Truss Bridge

2005-05-07T16:28:00.000-04:00

Isolated Bridge in Knox County

Finally after 2 weeks of lousy weather the sun returned and I got the motorcycle out for another road trip. I returned to Knox County to check out another 6 bridges in the east part of the county that were listed by ODOT as still existing. This picture shows the only original bridge actually remaining. After crossing over this bridge the gravel road became really bad. I had to ford through some water then I could see a sharp turn on an uphill section with exposed ledges of rock and lots of loose stuff. This did not seem like a good road for my street bike so I doubled back (through the water again). The good old GPS plotted me an alternate route to the next bridge (which turned out to be completely gone).

Covered Bridges

2005-04-24T13:25:00.000-04:00

Hutchins Covered Bridge, Lancaster Ohio

Many people limit themselves to covered bridges when thinking of historic bridges. The one in the picture is a nice example. It was restored and moved to a park in Fairfield County when replaced with a modern bridge at its original location. There were once thousands of these bridges in Ohio. They were largely replaced first by iron then steel truss bridges beginning in the second half of the 19 th Century. Perhaps some people resent metal bridges because they displaced covered bridges. The metal truss bridges were themselves mostly replaced by continuous steel or prestressed concrete bridges, which are most kindly described as "functional" in appearance.

The CB bridge is vulnerable to fire and rot and since it floats is easily "removed" by floods. There are only about 100 old CB left in Ohio and most of these are closed to traffic. I have a link to the covered bridge locations in Ohio on my Website.

Personally, I prefer the asthetics of the metal truss bridge.

Debate in Knox County.

2005-04-24T10:32:00.000-04:00

Check out this link to read about the debate in Knox County over which bridge to spare!

http://www.knoxpages.com/Default.asp?NewsID=3054

With limited funds the county may have to choose between the Hunter Road Bridge and the Old US 62 bridge. That's my photo of the Hunter Road Bridge in the article.

Knox County Road Trip # 1

2005-04-16T18:13:00.000-04:00

The Hunter Road Bridge, Knox Co.

This bridge in Knox County just made the National Registry. Built in 1904 it is a very nice example of a 2-span Pratt Through Truss. It seems that most of the surviving bridges like this are way out in the country on a gravel road! Nice ride on a warm spring day.

Morrow County Road Trip #1

2005-04-15T09:08:00.000-04:00

Morrow County Bridge

I began my search of Morrow County last Sunday around the town of Marengo. There appear to be a lot of old small Pratt Pony Truss bridges in this region. This one is a particularly good example. Most were located on loose gravel roads - not the best surface for a streetbike!

Another Bridge is Gone!

2005-04-11T10:37:00.000-04:00

Last Photo of Stockwell Road Bridge

I checked out the Stockwell bridge site on Sunday to note the "progress" with the new construction and found only the abutments of the Stockwell Road Bridge remain. Don't know if they dismantled the bridge and saved the components or just tore it down.

Licking County Road Trip #2

2005-04-09T18:06:00.000-04:00

Falling Rock Camp Bridge

Today I traveled to the remaining 5 bridges in Licking County that I hadn't visited before. Of these 2 were historically significant. The others were replacement Warren Welded Pony Truss bridges (the county must have got a quantity price on these!).

The pictured bridge was the day's reward! It is a very rare Post Truss Bridge dating to 1872. It connects Rocky Fork Road to a Boy Scout Camp but is now closed to traffic.

Licking County Road Trip # 1

2005-04-07T11:25:00.000-04:00

Licking County Bridges

Wednesday was a beautiful spring day here in central Ohio so I went bridge hunting. I entered the coordinates of the 14 Licking County bridges I have not yet visited into my GPS and took off on my motorcycle to see them. This was my first trip on my bike since I changed the chain gear ratio so it was also a test ride to see if I liked it.

Well I was off to a bad start. The first bridge was gone - replaced by a concrete culvert. This was not a good sign about the accuracy of the data I had retrieved from the Ohio DOT! I went on to the next bridge. It was there but appeared not to the original bridge but one considerably newer than the reported build date of 1900 . It was not the even the same design as reported so undoubtedly had been replaced.

I made it to a total of 9 bridge sites before calling it a day. The overall results: 2 were gone and the 7 others were replaced. All replacement bridges were similar Warren welded pony truss bridges one of which is shown in the picture. A very disappointing day. I hope I'm luckier with the other 5 bridges. Well at least the bike ran well. I think I like the new gear ratio

Visiting the Bridges

2005-04-05T14:09:00.000-04:00

A GPS Screen.

I have found that the easiest way to find these old bridges is with a GPS. The latitude / longitude coordinates of many historic bridges may be found on the Internet. Check out my website in LINKS for a list of old metal bridges in Ohio. There you will also find a link to the coordinates of all Ohio covered bridges.

My procedure is to enter a list of bridge coordinates into my GPS (CoPilot Pocket PC ver 5) then have the GPS sort the list to optimize the travel order. A simpler GPS would just require a little more planning and the need to enter coordinates while out on the road. It's still best to plot bridge locations using mapping software to select the groups of bridges that you want to visit on a particular trip. I like Delorme Topo USA map software as it shows virtually all the creeks and rivers unlike MS Streets and Trips.

I hate dealing with paper maps when traveling as I usually ride my motorcycle. A GPS is more than just a convenience as otherwise I would have to stop a lot to check a map. Ever tried to unfold and study a map at forty mph while operating a motorcycle?

The down side of a GPS is that it's so helpful you tend not to think about navigation. If it ever broke on a trip I might have trouble getting home!

A New Metal Truss Bridge Can Look Good Too!

2005-03-28T21:10:00.000-05:00

A picturesque new metal truss bridge

I ran across this bridge when looking for an old bridge that was in the area. Sure looks better than a slab of concrete.

Some Basic Truss Terminology

2005-03-27T16:54:00.000-05:00

When is a pony not a horse?

Some terminology has creeped in that may be foreign to some. A Pony truss refers to trusswork that is on each side of the roadway but has no interconnection other than the roadway itself. A Through Truss has overhead members that cross the roadway and add additional regidity to the trusswork.

One way to remember is that you drive through a Through Truss. I don't know how the pony designation originated.

Subtle Truss Differences

2005-03-27T15:51:00.000-05:00

Brown Road Bridge, Delaware Ohio.

This is a Pratt Through Truss design. Notice it has a vertical member connecting to the top of the first (sloped) member. This is the more usual Pratt truss design. This member is reduced to a thin "tension rod" in the Stockwell Road Bridge.

Bridge About to be Bypassed.

2005-03-26T21:30:00.000-05:00

Beginning of the end for the Stockwell Road Bridge.

Today I visited the Stockwell bridge again and the (de) construction has started as shown in this four-frame panoramic view. A new bridge is going in the forground bypassing the old bridge.

I hadn't appreciated before that this bridge is an unusual Pratt Half-Hip Through Truss design. I've only seen Pony Half-Hips before (see earlier post).

Going, going gone!

2005-03-24T11:05:00.000-05:00

Stockwell Road Bridge

This example of a Pratt Through Truss bridge was built late 19th century. It is located in Delaware Ohio but is scheduled for replacement this year. A similar bridge just down the creek has already been replaced. I spoke to the adjacent landowner who was sad to see it go after living next to it all her life.

An abandoned iron bridge

2005-03-24T10:42:00.000-05:00

Mill Road Bridge

This bridge is on an abondoned road in Knox County, Ohio. It is gradually falling apart even though its recognized by the National Registry of Historic Places and is documented by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER). See the links to read about it on HAER. The truss design is called a bowstring.

It took me 4 trips to locate this bridge as the maps I was using had it 4-5 miles from the actual location but that's part of the fun!

Note added 4-27-2005: Some good news! This bridge is apparently slated for rehabilitation by the county and is to be dismantled and moved to a pathway in Mount Vernon, Ohio.

A Common Metal Truss Bridge.

2005-03-21T21:47:00.000-05:00

The ubiquitous Warren Pony Truss Bridge

This style of truss bridge is still a common sight on the backroads of Ohio. The design is old but this bridge is less than five years old.