Recent Ohio Comments
Post a comment Contact webmasterBill Eichenberger, do you mind me using a couple of your pics for an article I'm writing for the Bridgehunter's Chronicles? Please send me an e-mail with your pics and in case of green light, I'll send you a link to the article when finished. Thanks!
JS
I was so excited to see this bridge as I have not seen it since about 1967 or'68. When I was a kid, we would walk on top and in the spans. Of course, we passed on the stories of a man buried alive in the cement cause he fell in when it was being built. I have often wondered if that was true. I will be 66 this year, live in Texas, but I sure would love to see some places in my beautiful Ohio!!
Arson sign at bridge site.
Would have been really easy to have realigned the road here with very little trouble, thus sparing the historic bridge with a new one nearby.
New bridge in place replacing original
Bridge is currently being dismantled to be replaced by a new bridge. Slated to be open November 2013.
My only question is why??? I visited this bridge twice in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The area around the bridge was littered with some beer cans and evidence people built a camp fire near the bridge.It was a party hangout due to the remote location.Is there a reward out leading to the arrest who did this?
God this is absolutely disgusting! Whoever piece of garbage destroyed this beautiful and rare historic bridge should see lifelong like nightmare of behind bars.
What IS it with idiots and arson concerning covered bridges?! A sure-fire way to quickly lose hope in humanity, for sure. Pitiful.
I am sorry to say that the Ponn Bridge was burned down early this morning... it is no longer in existence.
http://thecommonerjournal.com/2013/06/06/vinton-county-landmark-ponn-bridge-destroyed-by-fire/
Wow! Perhaps the best example of historical bridge rehabilitation EVER!! A bridgehunter's dream come true: Visit a historical bridge and order out a pizza at the same time!! This is so cool that this restaurant is a chain. See http://bridgehunter.com/oh/ashtabula/bh56454/ for the other store.
Perhaps someone can help me here on this tunnel. I have an old railroad video that I think is this tunnel. Did tis used to be a Pennsey (PRR) line before it was NS?
very disappointed that no one answered phone or radio channel on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend from at least 12:30 to 1 PM... after repeated attempts to contact operator, ended up breaking down Bimini top to pass under un-opened bridge. distressing that I can't count on availability of operators anymore....
The Historic Bridge Inventory claims this bridge was built in 1911 and designed by E. A. Gast, around the same time as the Benson Street Bridge also designed by E. A. Gast. However, the NBI date is 1931, and visually, the bridge looks more like 1930s arches in Ohio. Not sure what the truth is here.
Highly under-rated bridge, was very unique, kind of art-deco style. Sadly, no-one seemed to mind when it was torn down a few years ago to be replaced. I do like the new modernistic tilted-arch span, but not at the expense of the unique old Main St. bridge.
They should have just restored the covered bridge and tuck-pointed the abutments at that time. This has to be one of the most scenic locations I have seen and it certainly looked much better with the old bridge there.
Ken, do you know if this bridge is really still in storage as is mentioned in the description?
They built the new bridge on the old stone support walls. Those are starting to fail. The county jacked up the new bridge and poured a new wall on one side in 2012.
Highway bridge replaced. Unknown bridge on private property a short distance north.
Drove out there today and the bridge is now closed to all traffic with siginifcant concrete deteriation to base of the bridge deck.
Does anyone know if Wood County is looking to restore or tear down this bridge?
Latest and Final update.I paid a visit to the bridge today on 4-26-2013. The bridge is 100% completely gone.No trusses left only concrete supports.It is a lost bridge now.
20k is peanuts in government spending! It can cost that much to get a consultant to write a letter saying the bridge is too far gone to repair.
I was at Charlton Mill bridge today and was stupified to see this beautiful bridge had been demolished. So i ask myself..."why was this done? Green county recieved almost $20,000.00 dollars in federal grants to "repair" this historical bridge. This is quite discearning, so what happened to those funds?
Another easy way to identify the bottom chord is to look where the diagonal members meet the verticals--they always meet at the top and bottom chords and never anywhere else, except in cases of subdivided panels (Pennsylvania, Baltimore, or subdivided Warren).
Thanks, Nathan. I see the original bottom chord now.
Robert,
Let me clarify the design of this bridge for you, which may not be apparent in the photo. What looks like a polygonal bottom chord is not the original bottom chord. The original bottom chord is horizontal and is above the added metal which likely was added during a floorbeam alteration. Additionally, the verticals on this bridge are back-to-back channels with v-lacing on each side. This was characteristic of Massillon ponies, but your bridge appears to have angles with lattice, uncommon among Massillon ponies.
Nathan: Thank you for updating this bridge, and therefore calling my attention to it. There is a nearly identical bridge in Riley County, Kansas. Perhaps that bridge was built by the same firm. I had always wondered who the fabricator might have been, and this might give me a clue.
Link for the Kansas example:
4/14/13 - Gloomy day, so photos aren't the best. If you're ever in Port Clinton, eat at Jolly Roger's.
I am inclined to believe that the bridge pictured above stood till 1959/1960.
The present bridge, over Alum Creek, along SR 521, was constructed in 1960 according to Buckeye Assets (ODOT's bridge innovatory)
Someone else has shown me a photo of that crossing, from the 1940s or 50s, that shows the same bridge, but with a whitewashed finish.
Taken 7/15/12
Had a very nice paint job on it not too many years ago... But it sure didn't hold up very well.
There wasn't a lot of traffic when I was there 7/16/12. Got some nice shots.
What seems odd to me every time I see this bridge is the brick floor. I don't think I've seen that elsewhere.
Amanda,
I took those pictures in June, 2008 and remember it pretty well. Of course as you know, the bridge sits right off of the road and is easily visible. When I was there I started taking pictures from the road and Mrs. Schreyer came out and was very friendly and was more than happy to talk about the bridge. Her husband, I believe, was the one responsible for moving the bridge to the family farm. She said they were talking about doing some maintenance on the bridge as it was getting a little shabby in places.
Fast forward almost 5 years and of course it is possible that things have changed. I would certainly say that you should approach the current owners as it doesn't hurt to ask and the worst they can say is no.
I find this bridge to be extremely awesome!
Apparently, the old lady is still there.
It's (reportedly) now owned by a demolition company, but the company is having trouble coming to terms with Benwood over contracts.
An old friend of mine, a professor at a distinguished eastern university, has been quoted about bridges: "Bridges are expensive to build. They are expensive to maintain. They are even more expensive to take down."
The Bellaire Bridge seems to prove his adage.
Hi,
Was wondering if you have anymore information on this bridge. Maybe when it was built, by whom, etc? Am trying to see if it has any historical significance to help possibly fund a painting project before it rusts away.
Thank you for your time.
Lori
When was this bridge removed and was it replaced by the bridge that is currently in Kilbourne, at the same location. or was the bridge that was lost further South on Alum Creek?
Thank you
I wouldn't be surprised if they were spending the money to fund a program to explore replacing this bridge (i.e. 'seed money'). Hire bureaucrats who make promises to contractors who give money to politicians and then the new bridge project has a life of it's own. Watch them "like a hawk"! California got an unneeded $100 billion train line this way.
I just heard from ODOT, this is a repair project not a replacement project. This beautiful truss award winner isn't going anywhere.
I am attaching the old historic bridge inventory card for this bridge.
I checked with ODOT today and the county is indeed seeking to replace this bridge. The project has not been programmed yet, however. When the project development begins, this will trigger Section 106 which will require a full investigation of the feasibility of rehabilitation.
I strongly believe this is being misreported and is actual a repair project. It is questionable that you could even demolish this bridge for $3 million, let alone even think about building a new bridge.
Can they replace a bridge this big for just $3,250,000
I have sent an email to the local newspaper alerting them to both the truss award and possible demolition. I think if word gets out there will be opposition in Lorain to demolition. This bridge is considered a beautiful landmark to many people in the community.
I will probably nominate this bridge for a truss award in 2014
I am going to declare this bridge doomed due to the article below. I believe that due to the importance of this bridge as possibly the only one of this type in the entire nation it is important to sound the alarm that this bridge could be gone by 2016!
Ohio Inventory sheet says builder was the Marion Bridge Company. I have heard of neither the Mario or Marion Bridge Company.
That is fairly typical of what happened in that area in the 1980s. There were many historic through truss bridges replaced by modern pony truss bridges in those areas which at the time probably made sense on the more sparsely traveled roads.
Here is what the Historic Bridge Inventory has for this SFN Number:
John, the Street View shown here is for a different bridge: http://bridgehunter.com/oh/washington/8435014/
The 1905 bridge listed here I believe to be demolished and replaced with a welded pony truss. The old Mario Bridge Co. Bridge was a pinned thru truss.
No the bridge is gone ... never to return except maybe in a replica form.
Read the article linked in particular the bottom paragraph.
"The county and the Ohio Public Works Commission will split the $700,000 cost of replacing the Charleton Mill Covered Bridge, which closed last year. Geyer said that one was “too far gone” to rehab, but he’s going to put in a new wood truss capable of carrying legal load limits, while maintaining the look of an old covered bridge from the outside."
August 19, 2012
I wouldn't think the bridge is demolished. As you may have read the article on Eric's post, there were plans to rehab the bridge as of last year. Don't know if these went through. There is a chance the bridge has been disassembled and taken elsewhere for cleaning and other rehab work, and may be brought back to place to be reassembled for what it was built for. I have heard stories of this being done to wooden and metal truss bridges in Ohio. This was recently done on the Daleville Bridge in Indiana which worked out well. I'd say the only way the bridge would be gone is if there was a natural disaster or act of vandalism.
I went down to the location today, wish I had my camera and located the bridge. The bridge is 3-4 miles north of the truss bridge in the street view. That area is loaded with 1980s era pony trusses like the one in the street view. This bridge has a wooden roadbed and is in ok shape except it needs painted. I am also kind of disappointed that there is a guardrail added. Overall this bridge is a good find because it has the built up beams etc you would expect with a 1905 bridge. It is a pratt pony truss. I have never been able to work the street view very well but this bridge is findable for somebody who is a little better versed.
I was there today. 3-9-13. Bridge was demolished over the winter...IT IS GONE!
Every now and then I need to ask a question. Does this look like any kind of 1905 era bridge? According to this picture it is a pony truss.
I am pretty sure the lack of citation is traceable to the consultant ODOT hired to produce the inventory. I provided photos for this same consultant when they updated Michigan's inventory. However, I included a watermark on the photos I provided with my name on them, which apparently was a good idea. The Ohio inventory is extremely useful but it does have a few quirks like this.
In my experience, I have found that the sustainability found through the maintenance and rehabilitation of existing bridges is the best bet for affordability, efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. Sustainability is something I have recently been exploring and promoting as yet another benefit of preservation.
No photos for this bridge anywhere I could find. All the Historic Bridge Inventory has is the scan from the older historic bridge inventory, which I include here. It has only thumbnail photos.
I suspect that Ryan Marthey himself took the pictures, seeing as he is one of the chiefs at the Medina County Engineer's Office. ODOT probably asked for images at some point maybe for a list of historic bridges by county or some such but from that moment on, the individual credit was lost.
Ryan Marthey, P.E. has conducted seminars along with the University of Toledo regarding, "the design and construction processes for the replacement of bridges in Medina County to be something that is affordable, efficient and environmentally friendly."
Seeing as there are but a few historic bridges left in this county one wonders what "affordable, efficient" design is in the works for this and the Bagdad Road pony truss.
I fixed the photo source error. The photos in the Ohio Historic Bridge Inventory as provided to me by ODOT (which includes these photos) don't have individual captions so I have to guess as to their original source.
Photos were taken by the Medina County Engineer's Office, not ODOT.
This bridge is no longer in service and has been removed as of November 2012.
This bridge is no longer in service and has been removed as of February 2013.
Being torn down this month.
Closed to traffic May 2011
I drive a cement truck for Spurlino Materials (the company supplying all the concrete for the construction project) Trust me, these bridges are in desperate need of replacing. The look of the new ones aren't very visable right now as it sits directly between the old ones, but after the old northbound bridge is demolished, I think you may have another opinion. Enjoy the looks of the old steel trusses while you still can they will be coming down if I'm not mistaken through the fall of 2013. Then you'll see the beauty of concrete.
I am surprised the Gilmore Bridge is not on here,It was torn out in 2010,there is a youtube video on it.I have some photos of the bridge I took during a canoe trip in 1999 I will post the bridge here soon.
Was the W.Powell Rd bridge further up the same truss as Wilson Bridge Rd?
I just posted the Kings Hollow Tunnel on the Athens county page which is on the same abandoned CSX line to the east of the Moonville Tunnel.Seems odd the Moonville was built in 1857 and the Kings Hollow in 1855.
EPIC FAIL. A flat slab with Armco railings--could the replacement be any uglier??
What's next?... The Junction Road Bowstring??
This steel stringer with 1875 cast and wrought iron trusses was replaced. See photos: http://www.prebeng.org/longman_road_bridge_project_2011.htm
Interesting little bridge. Norton Co. Kansas had a couple of these bridges as well. I think one was moved to a golf course. The Canton Bridge Company apparently built lattice trusses with and without the diagonal ties.
Bridge was recently closed due to a 12 inch piece of sandstone falling from north tower. The bridge has been reopened. The damage was superficial.
http://www.fox19.com/story/20555256/cincinnatis-roebling-bridge-to-be-closed-during-rush-hour
Fire today at the bridge
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/01/16/fire-that-damaged-bridge-may-be-arson.html
Just North of the bridge you will see a sandbar. This is the remains of The Toledo, Walhonding Valley, & Ohio Railroad adbudment removed to prevent log jams.
I am not trying to sell the book on the link below but the cover is my picture of this bridge.
Should this mongrel bridge also be categorized as a concrete arch?
I got the coordinates from the geotag on the Flickr page. They're way off, but I could not find it in bing bird's eye either.
How did you deduce the location on the map?
Anyone been to this bridge recently? The recent Google satellite image is odd. One span is removed, the other two remain but with deck gone. This would imply the image was taken during demolition yet I cannot see any construction equipment around the bridge. Is the bridge completely gone?
It is called the Gold Star Mothers' Bridge
The new bridge is done. Please visit so you can update your ratings and pictures.
if this is an actual Masi. Bridge Co. bridge that would be awesome and i would like to update it as such. however, could it be an MOB that just happens to look like the real thing? anyone would like to jump in here and do some investigation?
My bad. I trusted the HABS people to have the correct information. I should have made sure the bridge types matched up.
The photos posted on this page are obviously of a different bridge...anyone know where the bridge in the photos might be/have been located?
This one looks authentic to me, James, nice find! The upper chords seem to indicate the work of the Massilion bridge Company...
Just found this unlisted bridge and listed it. From the looks of the photo in the link it looks like a bowstring. Is it a real bowstring or is it an "MOB?" I would like to say its real and has been modified to be a pedestrian bridge, but need help here. So please feel free to chip in.
Facing South as the road ends at the cemetery.
North or south as there are tombstones on both sides of the bridge.
After a bit of looking around I found some old maps which indicate that the bridge carried the north end of Sumner Street before I-75 cut it off.
The railroad crossed was the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway (l. S. & M. S. Ry), a line which became a large part of the New York Central System. The bridge crosses the tracks at the west end of the Union Depot yard.
Which way is the camera facing when the tombstones are in the background? (Pics 7, 13, 14, 21, etc.)
In pictures 6 & 14, which way is the camera facing? I see the cemetery in the background.
Ok I'm a PITA but someone has to point out things that don't make sense.
Conrail went out of business as a railroad over 12 years ago, so how is this a bridge "over Conrail RR"? If you check, I think you'll find it is Norfolk Southern. It would be more interesting to find out the owner of the line when the bridge was built.
Also I don't think that a highway bridge passing over a railroad qualifies as a "Railroad" Bridge.
On Google Maps it has it marked as "Rails to trails bridge Toledo union station."
Average daily traffic of 1 as of 1992. Lucky stiff.
I hope it's reused; from what I can tell its quite pretty.
Certainly a lot more structure than is needed for a pipe! I guess there was some type of approach trestle or span to bring the track to the top. It looks odd sitting there with nothing leading up to it.
The tracks once ran over the top of this one. The trusses are very heavily built, with 4 eyebars per diagonal. This was typical pin-connected railroad bridge-building methodology back when this one was built.
Looking at this one, perhaps it's a structure built to hold the pipe. I can't picture any way this could carry a train. Am I missing something?
Those who have had to endure the nearby extremely boring Ohio Turnpike might be especially surprised at the valley the Vermilion River cuts. West of this river, terrain relief of any kind is essentially non existent. East of the Vermilion River, many of the rivers cut deep valleys.
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