Marietta in Washington County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Putnam Bridge History
Photographed By Craig Doda, October 22, 2022
1. Putnam Bridge Marker
Inscription.
Putnam Bridge History. . This span crossing the Muskingum is the fifth at this site. The first, built in 1880, had six timber and iron trusses resting on seven stone piers, Swing spans at each end allowed boats to pass, The west side lock was soon to be replaced by one on the east side thus requiring two swing spans, The 1884 flood wrecked this bridge. A second was built on the old piers, also with two swing spans, Heavier traffic led to building the third span in 1900 atop four new stone piers. The swing span was on the east side. The bridge was swept away by the 1913 flood. In 1914 the fourth bridge was built on the old piers raised four feet to avoid floods. It served Marietta 86 years until closed and demolished April 2000. The present span is the first in Ohio to use the cast-in-place reinforced concrete box with balanced cantilever method of construction. Its concrete piers, retaining walls and railing replicate the 1914 design.
This span crossing the Muskingum
is the fifth at this site. The first,
built in 1880, had six timber and
iron trusses resting on seven
stone piers, Swing spans at each
end allowed boats to pass, The
west side lock was soon to be replaced
by one on the east side
thus requiring two swing spans,
The 1884 flood wrecked this
bridge. A second was built on
the old piers, also with two swing
spans, Heavier traffic led to
building the third span in 1900
atop four new stone piers. The
swing span was on the east side.
The bridge was swept away by
the 1913 flood. In 1914 the fourth
bridge was built on the old piers
raised four feet to avoid floods.
It served Marietta 86 years until
closed and demolished April
2000. The present span is the
first in Ohio to use the cast-in-place
reinforced concrete box
with balanced cantilever method
of construction. Its concrete piers,
retaining walls and railing replicate
the 1914 design.
Location. 39° 24.871′ N, 81° 27.378′ W. Marker is in Marietta, Ohio, in Washington County. Marker is on West Putnam Street
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, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 1/2 W Putnam St, Marietta OH 45750, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 10, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 3, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 76 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 3, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
