MCCONNELSVILLE BRIDGE - MCCONNELSVILLE, OHIO

McConnelsville (Morgan County Memorial) Bridge in McConnelsville, Ohio. Location - McConnelsville and Malta, Morgan County, Ohio, United States. Intersected - Riverview Rd. (CR-203) over Muskingum River. Construction Date - 1913. Length - 566'. Structure Type - Metal 11-Panel Rivet-Connected Parker Through Truss, Movable: Swing (Center Pier) and Approach Spans: Metal Rivet-Connected Parker Through Truss, Fixed. Builder/Contractor: Oregonia Bridge Company of Lebanon, Ohio. The bridge from southwest to northeast consists of a a 32 foot steel stringer span, a 7 panel 166 foot Parker truss span, an 11 panel 203 foot Parker through truss span, and lastly a Parker swing span which HistoricBridges.org estimates at a 190 foot span. The swing span is very similar in appearance to the fixed truss spans, except for a larger, heavy vertical member over the swing pier, and a lighter weight top chord and end post compared to the fixed spans. The swing span has not operated for boats for many years. However the gears and rack are in place, and the span still conveys its function as a swing span. Rehabilitation Date - 1991. Inventory Number - 5835712. GPS: 39.648387,-81.858071

HISTORIC STEEL TRUSS BRIDGES IN THE UNITED STATES (91)

    During my traveling, photographing covered bridges, lighthouses, and historic homes, I come across these fascinating, architectural wonders. These steel truss bridges were the transitioning era from the covered bridges to the modern bridges of today. A lot of these trusses designs are similar to the wooden trusses of the covered bridges. Sadly, these bridges, just as the covered bridges, are getting more and more uncommon to see. As more efficient bridges are being made, these old steel truss bridges are being replaced. Some smaller roads and rural areas are still home to these bridges, but even these are quickly being replaced due to the practicability of the cost of restoration and the load limits. There are city, state, and federal governments that have purposely kept some of these old bridges for historical purposes. However, to fully maintain their their true historic perspective is during the rehabilitation process, the original rivets are to be replaced by the rivet process, not by the newer engineering with bolts and nuts. The vast majority of these bridges are over 100 years old, however there are a few that are 80 years old but still constructed in the historic process. I am just starting this blog on May 12, 2023, I hope you will enjoy the posts. Please note, to see all posts, at the right bottom of each page click on "older posts".

(https://historicbridges.org/index.php) - source 

BROWER ROAD BRIDGE                                                                     EATON, OHIO

PYRMONT ROAD BRIDGE                                                                   LEWISBURG, OHIO

ST. CLAIR STREET BRIDGE                                                                EATON, OHIO

RIP RAP ROAD BRIDGE (HOPE BRIDGE)                                     DAYTON, OHIO

SMITH/CONCORD-FAIRHAVEN ROAD BRIDGE                       FAIRHAVEN, OHIO

7 MILE ROAD BRIDGE                                                                          PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO

JUNCTION ROAD BRIDGE                                                                  PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO

FALKNOR ROAD BRIDGE                                                                   COVINGTON, OHIO

MILL ROAD BRIDGE                                                                             GETTYSBURG, OHIO

CR-21 BRIDGE                                                                                          LOGANSVILLE, OHIO

PUMPHOUSE/OLD REID PARK BRIDGE                                      SPRINGFIELD, OHIO

FLORENCE BRIDGE                                                                               PICKAWAY COUNTY, OHIO

MARK ROAD BRIDGE                                                                           FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO

BLOME ROAD BRIDGE                                                                        READING, OHIO

STONELICK WILLIAM CORNER ROAD BRIDGE                      STONELICK, OHIO

ALLEY FORD BRIDGE                                                                          METAMORA, INDIANA

COUNTY LINE ROAD BRIDGE                                                          HANCOCK/RUSH COUNTY, INDIANA

ROBBINS FORD BRIDGE                                                                    DECATUR COUNTY, INDIANA

GENEVA FORD BRIDGE                                                                      JENNINGS COUNTY, INDIANA

CAVEHILL ROAD BRIDGE                                                                 RIPLEY COUNTY, INDIANA

LOST BRIDGE                                                                                          DEARBORN/OHIO COUNTY, INDIANA

LAUGHERY CREEK BRIDGE                                                             AURORA, INDIANA

GEORGE STREET BRIDGE                                                                 AURORA, INDIANA

MALLAHAM BRIDGE                                                                            PANDORA, OHIO

GILBOA BRIDGE                                                                                     GILBOA, OHIO

DEY ROAD BRIDGE                                                                                DEFIANCE, OHIO

GREEN ROAD BRIDGE                                                                          MARENGO, OHIO

NEWCOMER ROAD BRIDGE                                                              EDISON, OHIO

INDIAN MILL BRIDGE                                                                          UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO

FORT SENECA BRIDGE                                                                         FORT SENECA, OHIO

TINDALL BRIDGE                                                                                   BALLVILLE, OHIO

IN-1 (CR-900 WEST) BRIDGE                                                            RANDOLPH COUNTY, INDIANA

IN-26 BRIDGE                                                                                          PORTLAND, INDIANA

VERA CRUZ BRIDGE                                                                             VERA CRUZ, INDIANA

MARION CENTER BRIDGE                                                                 ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA

CR-300 BRIDGE                                                                                      MARKLE, INDIANA

CR-500 WEST BRIDGE                                                                         ZANESVILLE, INDIANA

SOUTH COUNTY LINE ROAD BRIDGE                                          ZANESVILLE, INDIANA

HAMILTON ROAD BRIDGE                                                                ROANOKE, INDIANA

MURPHY BRIDGE                                                                                  WARREN, INDIANA

RANGELINE ROAD BRIDGE                                                              HUNTINGTON, INDIANA

ROANOKE STATION BRIDGE                                                            ROANOKE, INDIANA

OLD WILLIAMS ROAD BRIDGE                                                       BEDFORD, INDIANA

SADDLE BARN ROAD BRIDGE                                                         BEDFORD, INDIANA  

FORT RITNER BRIDGE                                                                        FORT RITNER, INDIANA  

VALLONIA BRIDGE                                                                               VALLONIA, INDIANA 

SPARKSVILLE BRIDGE                                                                       SPARKSVILLE, INDIANA  

IN-256 WEST BRIDGE                                                                          AUSTIN, INDIANA   

CR-100 SOUTH BRIDGE                                                                      VALLONIA, INDIANA 

TOBIAS BRIDGE                                                                                     JEFFERSON COUNTY, INDIANA 

IN-11 BRIDGE                                                                                           ROCKFORD, INDIANA 

CR-1225 NORTH BRIDGE                                                                    JENNINGS COUNTY, INDIANA   

NEW HOPE BRIDGE                                                                             COLUMBUS, INDIANA 

GALBRAITH BRIDGE                                                                           HARTSVILLE, INDIANA

PUGH FORD BRIDGE                                                                           BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY, INDIANA

STANDARDSBURG ROAD BRIDGE                                                 MONROEVILLE, OHIO

SANDHILL ROAD BRIDGE                                                                 MONROEVILLE, OHIO

STATION ROAD BRIDGE                                                                     BRECKSVILLE, OHIO

LAMEREAUX ROAD BRIDGE                                                            MONROEVILLE, OHIO

VERMILION BRIDGE                                                                            VERMILION, OHIO

DEAN ROAD BRIDGE                                                                            BIRMINGHAM, OHIO 

HILLSIDE ROAD BRIDGE                                                                   INDEPENDENCE, OHIO

PLEASANT VALLEY BRIDGE                                                             WILLOUGHBY HILLS, OHIO

HOWARD VANDYKE BRIDGE                                                           HAMMONDSVILLE, OHIO

YELLOW CREEK CHURCH ROAD BRIDGE                                  SUMMITVILLE, OHIO

GRIMMS BRIDGE                                                                                   CALCUTTA, OHIO

FREDERICKTOWN BRIDGE                                                               FREDERICKTOWN, OHIO

PANCAKE CLARKSON ROAD BRIDGE                                           CALCUTTA, OHIO

CARMEL ACHOR ROAD BRIDGE                                                      NEGLEY, OHIO

STATE LINE ROAD BRIDGE                                                                UNITY, OHIO

SHAFFER ROAD BRIDGE                                                                    ROCK CREEK, OHIO

CLYDE HILL ROAD BRIDGE                                                              HARPERSFIELD, OHIO

ECHO DELL ROAD BRIDGE                                                               WILLIAMSPORT, OHIO

FULTON FARMS BRIDGE                                                                    TIPP CITY, OHIO

BURNETT'S CREEK/OLD IN-67 BRIDGE                                       MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA

PETERSON FORD/GRANVILLE BRIDGE                                      GRANVILLE, INDIANA

HIGH BANKS BRIDGE                                                                          DALEVILLE, INDIANA

HUNTSVILLE ROAD BRIDGE                                                             HUNTSVILLE, INDIANA

BARNARD BRIDGE                                                                                 NORTH SALEM, INDIANA

HAYS BRIDGE                                                                                           NASHVILLE, INDIANA

BROYLES ROAD/OLD US-36 BRIDGE                                            AVON, INDIANA

MCCOY ROAD BRIDGE                                                                         FILLMORE, INDIANA

HIBBS FORD BRIDGE                                                                           GREENCASTLE, INDIANA

SR-122 SOUTH BRIDGE                                                                        CLOVERDALE, INDIANA

IN-42 MILL CREEK BRIDGE                                                               CLOVERDALE, INDIANA

GEARHART ROAD/CHILDRENS HOME ROAD BRIDGE        SIDNEY, OHIO

SNYDER MEMORIAL BRIDGE                                                           SPRINGFIELD, OHIO

SMITH ROAD BRIDGE                                                                          FAIRHAVEN, OHIO

DIXON ROAD BRIDGE                                                                          EATON, OHIO

FUDGE ROAD BRIDGE                                                                          GRATIS, OHIO

MCCONNELSVILLE BRIDGE                                                                MCCONNELSVILLE/MALTA, OHIO

FUDGE ROAD BRIDGE - GRATIS, OHIO

Fudge Road Bridge in Gratis, in Preble County, in Ohio. Intersected-Fudge Road (TR-347) Over Aukerman Creek. Construction Date-1913. Length-91'. Structure Type-Single Span, Metal 6 Panel Pin-Connected Pratt Half-Hip Pony Truss, Fixed. Builder/Contractor: Central States Bridge Company of Indianapolis, Indiana. Rehabilitation Date-Not Available. Inventory Number-6838235. GPS: 39.660070N, -84.520420W.   

DIXON ROAD BRIDGE - EATON, OHIO

 Dixon Road Bridge, six miles west of Eaton, in Preble County, in Ohio. Intersected-Dixon Road (TR-242) Over 4 Mile Creek. Construction Date-1958. Length-61'. Structure Type-Single Span, Metal 4 Panel Rivet-Connected Polygonal Warren Pony Truss, Fixed. Builder/Contractor: Champion Bridge Company of Wilmington, Ohio. Rehabilitation Date-Not Available. Inventory Number-6836488. GPS: 39.728970°N, -84.765360°W.

The 1950s and 1960s were the finality of the transition from aesthetic bridge design to "purely functional" bridge design, where the "art" in bridge building came to a close thus ending a tradition of beauty in bridges. As a result, this bridge, with a 1958 construction date, represents the end of this transition. While it still has aesthetic value, mainly in the old-fashioned rivets, it is quite plain, with its rolled i-beams.

SMITH ROAD BRIDGE - FAIRHAVEN, OHIO

Smith Road Bridge in Fairhaven, in Preble County, in Ohio. Intersected- Concord-Fairhaven Road Over 4 Mile Creek. Construction Date-1955. Length-76.0'. Structure Type-Single Span, Metal 5 Panel Rivet-Connected Polygonal Warren Pony Truss, Fixed. Builder/Contractor: Champion Bridge Company of Wilmington, Ohio. Rehabilitation Date-Not Available. Inventory Number-6841333. GPS: 39.651080°N, -84.768740°W.

This bridge is one of a number of unusual pony truss bridges built by the Champion Bridge Company in Preble County well after the truss bridge era had come to a close in most of the country. They are noted for their use of modern design such as rolled beams and omission of any built-up beams, while continuing the older, traditional use of rivets for connections. The riveted connections are a contrast to the welded truss bridges that were built in Ohio around the same time as these bridges and continue to be built in the present day.