Grand Rapids in Wood County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Wood County Long-Judson Road Bridge 1916
The Long-Judson Parker pony truss bridge was designed by R. M. Strohl of Clague and Strohl Company, Bowling Green, Ohio and built by the Elkhart Bridge & Iron Company of Elkhart, Indiana in 1916. It carried Wood County's Township Road 79A (Long-Judson Rd.) over Beaver Creek in Grand Rapids Township for more than 100 years. The Parker truss design is a version of the Pratt truss with a curved top chord. Its sloping shape required less metal and reduced the weight of the span making it more economical to build. The design was well-suited for spans of 85 to 110 feet and provided great rigidity because of its riveted connections. The Long-Judson Bridge was 102 feet long and 16 feet wide.
The Elkhart Bridge & Iron Company (formerly Elkhart Bridge Company) was incorporated in 1904 by Frank Brumbaugh of Canton Ohio. He previously worked as a foreman and contracting agent for Ohio's Canton Bridge Company and Bellefontaine Bridge Company. Frank Miller, also from Stark County Ohio, succeeded Mr. Brumbaugh as president of Elkhart Bridge & Iron Company in May 1915.
Prior to its replacement in 2020 a partnership was developed with Fayette County Engineer Steve Luebbe P.E., P.S. to relocate and preserve the historic bridge on the Western Fayette County Bike Path where it crosses Rattlesnake Creek near Washington Courthouse.
Erected 2020.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Bridges & Viaducts. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1915.
Location. 41° 24.062′ N, 83° 50.682′ W. Marker is in Grand Rapids, Ohio, in Wood County. Marker is on Long Judson Road (County Road 79) 0.3 miles east of Beaver Creek Road (County Road 203), on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 23028 Long Judson Rd, Grand Rapids OH 43522, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Grand Rapids (approx. 0.9 miles away); Dominick Labino (approx. 1.2 miles away); Welcome (approx. 1.2 miles away); The Towpath Trail (approx. 1.2 miles away); Miami & Erie Canal (approx. 1.2 miles away); Through The Eyes Of An Artist (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Oberle Hotel (approx. 1.3 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Rapids.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 6, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 3, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 64 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 3, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.