Elmore in Ottawa County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
State Route 51 Concrete Arch Bridge over the Portage River
1926-2020
Photographed by Craig Doda, April 2, 2022
1. State Route 51 Concrete Arch Bridge over the Portage River Marker
The previous State Route 51 Bridge over the Portage River, built in 1926, was a two-lane highway bridge constructed of reinforced concrete. The three-span, closed spandrel, concrete arch bridge was 282 feet long and 36 feet wide. 98,000 pounds of reinforcement steel Was embedded into the concrete. Inner walls were coated with waterproofing material before being filled with compacted so if excavated near the site. A limestone outcropping in the riverbed at this crossing produces & shallow rapid and provided a solid foundation for the bridge.
The State Route 51 Bridge was designed by David Henry Overman during his first year working for the Ohio Department of Highway's Bridge Bureau. It featured aesthetic detailing which Overman became recognized for such as custom railings and concrete finishes. The bureau's highly-styled and large-scale bridge projects built between the early 1800's and the 1950's employed many laborers and often required the employment of specialized craftsmen.
The bridge was identified by the Ohio Department of Transportation in 1993 as worthy of consideration for historic recognition. It
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Overman graduated in 1925 with a degree in Civil Engineering from the Ohio State University. He was at employee of the State of Ohio for more than four decades served as a civil engineer in the Navy Sea Bees during WWI, and retired in 1964 as Chief Bridge Engineer at the Ohio Department of Highways.
Overman's design excellence was the result of an integration of science, technology, and art. He had a craftsman's familiarity with construction materials, tools equipment and methods. He was a talented artist with a consuming desire to achieve beauty in Ohio's highway bridges.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • War, World I. A significant historical year for this entry is 1993.
Location. 41° 28.597′ N, 83° 17.74′ W. Memorial is in Elmore, Ohio, in Ottawa County. It is at the intersection of Harris Street and Toledo Street (Ohio Route 51), on the right when traveling south on Harris Street. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 358 Harris
Photographed by Craig Doda, April 2, 2022
2. State Route 51 Concrete Arch Bridge over the Portage River Marker
Regionally, this memorial is on the Lake Erie Shore and in the Toledo Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Elmore World War I & World War II Veterans Memorial (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Joseph Harris (approx. Ό mile away); Elmore Veterans Memorial (approx. Ό mile away); Israel Harrington and Elmore (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Vietnam Combat Veterans' Moving Wall (approx. 0.3 miles away); Veteran Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); Call to Duty Salute (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named Call to Duty Salute (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers
Photographed by Craig Doda, April 2, 2022
3. State Route 51 Concrete Arch Bridge over the Portage River Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 11, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 8, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 274 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 8, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
