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Rodrick Bridge

Licking County, Ohio
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Photos 

Overview

Photo taken 2004 by Gregory S. Hamilton

Map 

Description 

James W. Shipman was the nephew of Squire Whipple, and had worked with his father building Whipple designed bridges in New York. In 1871 the younger Shipman decided to move West and start a company of his own. After looking for a viable site and an investor for his company, Coshocton, Ohio was chosen and a small foundry was built. Production was started in early 1872 with the Rodrick Bridge being the first contract for the fledgling company. Shortly after it's completion tragedy struck, and the boiler in the foundry blew-up sending the company into receivership.

The Rodrick Bridge would be the one and only span the company ever built.

Facts 

Overview
Bowstring through truss bridge originally located over Wills Creek on TR 144 in Coshocton County and relocated to Ohio State University-Newark Campus grounds
Location
Newark, Licking County, Ohio
Status
Open to pedestrians only
History
Built 1872 by the Coshocton Iron Works using a design patented in 1841 by Squire Whipple. Relocated in 1998.
Builders
- Coshocton Iron Works
- James W. Shipman
Design
Wrought and cast iron, 9-panel bowstring through truss
Dimensions
Span length: 101.0 ft.
Total length: 101.0 ft.
Deck width: 18.0 ft.
Recognition
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1998
Also called
Squire Whipple Bowstring Truss Bridge (name on historic marker)
Approximate latitude, longitude
+40.06814, -82.44053   (decimal degrees)
40°04'05" N, 82°26'26" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
17/377157/4436314 (zone/easting/northing)
USGS topographic map
Newark
Inventory numbers
NRHP 98000442 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 27878 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (3,854)
Bowstring through truss (85)
Bowstring truss (204)
Built 1872 (42)
Built during 1870s (547)
Cast iron (52)
Coshocton Iron Works (1)
Golden Age of Iron Bridges (31)
HAER documented (784)
James W. Shipman (1)
Licking County, Ohio (30)
 NR-listed (2,355)
Newark, Ohio (4)
Ohio (2,201)
Open to pedestrians (1,959)
Preserved (662)
Relocated (367)
Span length 100-125 feet (3,307)
Through truss (9,256)
Total length 100-125 feet (3,649)
Truss (23,618)
Wrought iron (230)

Update Log 

  • August 8, 2010: Updated by Anthony Dillon: Added information about company history
  • March 22, 2009: Updated by Joshua Collins: overview
  • September 26, 2005: Posted photos from Gregory S. Hamilton

Sources 

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Comments 

Rodrick Bridge
Posted August 8, 2010, by Mike Page (mike [dot] page [at] hotmail [dot] com)

That is so incredibly beautiful. That would be worth taking some vacation time to go see in person.