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".
Saturday, April 18, 2026
HISTORIC STEEL TRUSS BRIDGES IN THE UNITED STATES (93)
(https://historicbridges.org/index.php) - source
Friday, April 17, 2026
BOSTICK ROAD/TURNER BRIDGE - FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
BOSTICK ROAD BRIDGE IN FORT WAYNE, ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA. INTERSECTED - BOSTICK RD. OVER ST. MARYS RIVER. CONSTRUCTION DATE - 1894. LENGTH - 174'. STRUCTURE TYPE - SINGLE SPAN METAL 13 PANEL PIN-CONNECTED WHIPPLE (DOUBLE-INTERSECTION PRATT) THROUGH TRUSS FIXED WITH I-BEAM STRINGERS BUILDER/CONTRACTOR - CANTON BRIDGE COMPANY OF CANTON, OHIO AT A COST OF $3,320. REHABILITATION DATE - 2010, BEATY CONSTRUCTION, INC. OF BOGGSTOWN, INDIANA WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT FOR THE PROJECT, WITH COST $1.13 MILLION. INVENTORY NUMBER - 200201. GPS: 40.979220, -85.094730.
McCLURE ROAD BRIDGE - UNION CITY, OHIO
MCCLURE ROAD BRIDGE, APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES SOUTH OF UNION CITY, DARKE COUNTY, OHIO. LOCATED ON MCCLURE RD. .7 MILES WEST OF SPRINGHILL RD. INTERSECTED - MCCLURE RD. OVER GREENVILLE CREEK. CONSTRUCTION DATE - 1882. LENGTH - 85'. STRUCTURE TYPE - SINGLE SPAN WROUGHT IRON 7-PANEL PRATT THROUGH TRUSS. BUILDER/CONTRACTOR - MASSILLON BRIDGE COMPANY. GPS: 40.128990, -84.802237.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
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
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