Duck Creek Bridge

Duck Creek Bridge. 1930–2002. The previous bridge that carried State Route 821 over the West Fork of Duck Creek into Caldwell at this location was a 110 foot long concrete arch built in 1930. It was designed by engineers L. W. Curl and W. W. Flemming in the Ohio Department of Highway’s Bureau of Bridges. It was constructed by W. H. Heiby of Marietta for $46,406.00 as part of a larger roadway improvement contract for the city of Caldwell. , On May 24, 1930, wooden forms for the concrete arches collapsed during construction, injuring several workers. Large amounts of freshly poured concrete escaped from the broken forms settling in the middle of Duck Creek. In June of 1930, the piles of hardened concrete were blasted with dynamite and the debris was removed from the work site in order to continue building the bridge. , The Duck Creek Bridge was considered historic as a representative example of a single span concrete filled arch. It featured a unique curved alignment and neoclassical detailing. Decorative touches on the bridge included: balustrade railing, relief on the abutment sides, wing walls and arches, displaying the influence of the Art Deco style, popular during the late 1920s and 1930s. , The deteriorated concrete structure was replaced in 2002 with a new bridge in order to improve safety and accommodate modern highway traffic on State Route 821 at this crossing.