Wheeling Suspension Bridge

Suffice to say they are both really old!

Patrick,

Thank you for the explanation. Personally, I think its splitting hairs and parsing words but if it helps with the preservation of the Cincinnati span, why not.

Regards,

Art S.

Ed and Art,

I was reading the book 'John A Roebling and His Suspension Bridge On The Ohio River', by Don Heinrich Tolzmann, who happens to also be the gentlemen interviewed on the YouTube video that was referenced originally. There is a historic marker at the JA Roebling Bridge stating, "The first bridge to span Ohio River."

I received confirmation from Mr Tolzmann that because the Wheeling Suspension. Bridge goes from the West Virginia side of the Ohio, to Wheeling Island, it does not cross the Ohio completely. The JA Roebling Bridge was the first to span the river from shore to shore.

Patrick

Ed,

In regards to question 1: I am struggling to find any reasonable way to justify 'the oldest' claim. Maybe, at the time, oldest open to traffic over the Ohio?

Wheeling is older, built in 1849. Washington Roebling was directly involved in designing/implementing improvements in 1871-1872 but that isn't particular relevant to the question.

John Roebling's oldest surviving bridge is over the Delaware River: https://bridgehunter.com/pa/pike/delaware-aqueduct/ built in 1848 and its open to traffic.

I believe there are intact suspension chains for even older suspension bridges still intact.

In regards to question 2: I think that depends on your definition of progress :^)

Regards,

Art S.

See the video Roebling Suspension Bridge, Cincinnati, Ohio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA7htW1HcJg

It is claimed to be oldest there.

Who said the Roebling Bridge in Cincinatti was the oldest suspension bridge in the United States?

Two questions:

1) How does the Roebling Bridge in Cincinnati justify it's claim to be the oldest suspension bridge in the country?

2) Has there been any progress towards a renovation of this bridge?

That's probably the lowest non-zero weight limit I've seen on a bridge. Plenty of typical passenger vehicles are over 2 tons.

Makes sense to me that they're closing it period.

Bridge indefinitely closed to all motorized vehicles, remains open to pedestrians due to repeated disregard of weight and height restrictions

https://transportation.wv.gov/communications/PressRelease/Pa...

My Mom used to take me from SHADYSIDE to Wheeling Island ( to visit my Aunt Mrs. Frank (Claire) KEEFER ) and then to Wheeling to shop. We would walk over the old suspension bridge and I was scared to death ! Some of the wooden boards were missing (in the early to mid 50’s) that we walked on and Mom held my hand tightly !! It was scary but thrilling at the same time . I have many memories crossing the old bridges on the river. Taking the bus to Bellaire and Bridgeport and walking all the bridges. I haven’t been back to Ohio since 1980 and miss the Ohio Valley and bridges !! Thank heavens for memories and great pictures likes these ! My Dad ran the North American Coal Co. , Nacco Mining and Quarto Mining in Powhatan Point, Ohio. We rode the ferries too !!! Exciting time to grow up . Kids today have no idea what a great life we had. Cell phones are ruining everyone !! Historic places are disappearing and it is heart breaking. Thank you for preserving our history.

Hi Larry:

Thanks for the comment. Personal stories like this really illustrate the importance of our historic bridges.

Bridgehunter does not maintain any archives. The bridge company may, or may not have kept an archival collection. If they did have an archival collection, it is hard to say where it would be now.

I would suggest checking with the West Virginia Division of Culture and History as I believe that they maintain the archives for the State of West Virginia:

http://www.wvculture.org/index.aspx

The Ohio County Library may be another good source.

http://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/wheeling-history

Good luck with your search. If you find some further information, please feel free to contribute on here.

My third G-Grandfather came from Ireland and worked on the bridge from 1849 till his death as toll keeper in 1872.Would like to find information on the bridge CO.about employees etc etc.any information would be greatly appreciated.

Its nice they are trying to raise awareness of both the history and the often ignored weight limit. My first visit to the bridge was memorable, some local saw me taking pictures and asked me what was so special about it. Funny how people can be so ignorant.

Police were handing these out as we drove over the bridge in mid May/2016

Great news, driver education and enforcement of weight limits!!:

http://wvpress.org/news/historic-wheeling-bridge-see-weight-...

Bus attack:

http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/31552205/greyhound-respon...

Closed due to accident then fixed and reopened in two days:

http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/64568...

Closed due to cold induced failure:

http://www.weirtondailytimes.com/page/content.detail/id/6348...

Then fixed faster than expected:

http://www.wvnstv.com/story/28179248/wheeling-suspension-bri...

Cool website:

http://www.archivingwheeling.org/blog/different-looking-susp...

Apparently it will stay closed for another two years:

http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/59803...

This bridge has been closed to traffic due to a cable snapping at the top of one of the towers. See link:

http://theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/582091/Ca...

The fixture on the tower may in fact be related to a gate as it was a toll bridge when first opened.

The designer of the original 1849 bridge was Charles Ellet Jr. who was the prime contractor for building it. The 1854 repairs to the bridge also were done by Ellet. Although several other engineers subsequently modified the bridge (notably William McComas and William Hildenbrand) the current appearance of the bridge is essentially the work of Joseph Lawson in 1872.

John A. Roebling was not in any way connected with the design and construction of the bridge at Wheeling.

The best reference for information about this bridge is: "The Wheeling Suspension Bridge - A Pictorial Heritage" by E.L. Kemp and B.R. Fluty,

Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., Charleston WV 1999

ISBN 1-57510-066-S

Spent 2 nights next to the bridge. It is very beutiful at night. Here is my favorite pictures I took from my motel balcony. Anyone who loves bridges should go see this one!

What an awe inspiring bridge! I hope to get to see it in person some day.

David, I was standing when I took that photo. I'm 5'10" tall and was looking up. I haven't been able to find any evidence that the bridge was gated at one time, but I also can't prove that it wasn't.

As to the unknown fixture on the pier.... It's hard to see from the angle of the picture how high it is above the deck.... if it's not too high, I ahve a strong suspicion that it is a hitching post. Let's remember when the bridge was built, there would have been only horses....this is my best guess.