Putnam Street Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Putnam Street Bridge, also known as the Marietta Bridge, is a historical United States river crossing that connects Marietta, Ohio
with its Fort Harmar
district. The original 1880 bridge was the first free crossing of the Muskingum River
. The 1913 bridge was a contributing structure to the Harmar Historic District
. The bridge crosses the Muskingum, just above its confluence with the Ohio River
.
of a nearby dam was in the process of being moved from the west to east side. That bridge was wrecked by the 1884 flood. A second bridge was built on the same piers, also with two swing spans. An increase in traffic necessitated a new bridge in 1900, which was built on 4 new stone piers with a single swing section. That bridge was swept away in the Ohio flood of 1913.
In 1913-4 a new bridge was built on the same piers and abutments, but was raised up 4 feet (1.2 m) to reduce the risk of further flood damage. The bridge was built by the Nelson-Merydith Company of Marietta. In 1951, the timber deck was replaced by concrete. In 1972 the timber sidewalks were replaced and repairs were made to the structure. In 1993 structural reinforcements were added. On 27 April 2000, this span was demolished using 400 linear shaped charges.
In 1999 a new bridge was constructed just down stream of the 1880 crossing. The new bridge is the first in Ohio to use the cast-in-place reinforced concrete box with the balanced cantilever
method of construction. The new bridge, while of a new design, incorporates architectural details of the older bridge. The new bridge cost US$11.4 million.
s and the 1913 bridge was a contributing structure of the former. The bridge was the primary crossing of the Muskingum until 1953 (when the Washington Street Bridge opened).
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
with its Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar
Fort Harmar was an early United States frontier military fort, built in pentagonal shape during 1785 at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, on the west side of the mouth of the Muskingum River. It was built under the orders of Josiah Harmar and took his name...
district. The original 1880 bridge was the first free crossing of the Muskingum River
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
. The 1913 bridge was a contributing structure to the Harmar Historic District
Harmar Historic District
The Harmar Historic District is a historic district related to the early settlement of the Northwest Territory. It is located in the present day Marietta, Washington County, Ohio, USA....
. The bridge crosses the Muskingum, just above its confluence with the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
History
The original bridge was constructed in 1880. It had two swing spans as the lockLock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
of a nearby dam was in the process of being moved from the west to east side. That bridge was wrecked by the 1884 flood. A second bridge was built on the same piers, also with two swing spans. An increase in traffic necessitated a new bridge in 1900, which was built on 4 new stone piers with a single swing section. That bridge was swept away in the Ohio flood of 1913.
In 1913-4 a new bridge was built on the same piers and abutments, but was raised up 4 feet (1.2 m) to reduce the risk of further flood damage. The bridge was built by the Nelson-Merydith Company of Marietta. In 1951, the timber deck was replaced by concrete. In 1972 the timber sidewalks were replaced and repairs were made to the structure. In 1993 structural reinforcements were added. On 27 April 2000, this span was demolished using 400 linear shaped charges.
In 1999 a new bridge was constructed just down stream of the 1880 crossing. The new bridge is the first in Ohio to use the cast-in-place reinforced concrete box with the balanced cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
method of construction. The new bridge, while of a new design, incorporates architectural details of the older bridge. The new bridge cost US$11.4 million.
Significance
The bridge connects the Hamar and Marietta Historic DistrictMarietta Historic District (Marietta, Ohio)
The Marietta Historic District is a historic district in Marietta, Ohio, United States that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Among the buildings in the district are ones dating back to 1788, the year in which Marietta was founded as the first white settlement in what is now...
s and the 1913 bridge was a contributing structure of the former. The bridge was the primary crossing of the Muskingum until 1953 (when the Washington Street Bridge opened).