Webster Station in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Bridges Under the Water

Photographed by Pete Skillman, June 26, 2025

1. Bridges Under the Water Marker

Inscription. Dayton's rivers have overflowed periodically throughout the city's history, often to devastating effect. Floods have been recorded to have occurred in 1805, 1814, 1828, 1832, 1847, 1866, 1883, 1897, 1898, and 1913. The floods caused much damage to life and property in Dayton. They also continually tested the strength and design of bridges that connected the banks and carried roads, railway and the Miami Erie Canal over the rivers. Early wooden covered bridges were constructed at the level of the river bank. They flooded during high water, and were unusable at the time. When floods damaged the bridges, they were rebuilt time and again, with the new bridges constructed of iron, steel and ultimately of reinforced cement concrete.

1852

New Dayton View Bridge constructed to replace old covered bridge

1850s

Three spans were added to the east ends of Dayton View and Third Street Bridges

1866

Flooded rivers wash away several railroad bridges, overflowing low lying covered bridges

1870s

Miami Erie Canal begins to fall into disuse due to competition from railroad

1878

New Main Street suspension bridge
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constructed, replaces old bridge

1883

City floods again; the most devastating flood since 1866

1890

Dayton citizens petition for new bridges on Main Street and Third Street

1893

The Melan System of concrete arch bridge construction patented by Austrian Engineer Josef Melan

1894

Ohio's first concrete arch bridge constructed in Eden Park, Cincinnati, using the Melan System

1900

Dayton's population reaches 85,000. Many new migrants settle in areas north and west of the Great Miami River

1902

New bridge building program commences with five new concrete arch bridges planned

1903

Dayton's first concrete arch bridge, Main Street, opens to traffic.

(Caption):

View of an unusable Main Street Covered Bridge during the Flood of 1866 looking north across the overflowing Great Miami River (Courtesy, Dayton Metro Library)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Disasters • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 39° 46.079′ N, 84° 11.012′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in Webster

Bridges Under the Water Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Pete Skillman, June 26, 2025

2. Bridges Under the Water Marker - wide view

Station. It is on Water Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 441 Water St, Dayton OH 45402, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Miami Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once 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: Parks by the River (here, next to this marker); A City Upon Rivers (here, next to this marker); After the Flood (here, next to this marker); Dayton and its Bridges 1938 (here, next to this marker); Bridges for a New Era (a few steps from this marker); Josef Melan and The Melan System of Bridge Construction in America (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Webster Street Bridge Over Mad River (about 400 feet away); Dayton's New Bridges 2017 (about 400 feet

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away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 30, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 30, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 143 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 30, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.