Posted July 25, 200717 yr After a long battle involving the city, state and preservationists, the new High-Main Bridge is in operation. Preservationists fought first to have the bridge restored, but not even city officials agreed. ODOT's original plans were to construct a $4 million plain highway bridge, but, after local preservation groups were able to get the bridge and surrounding civic buildings designated as a historic district, the state finally stepped up and constructed an appropriate replacement structure. The site is extremely significant to the city and connects Hamilton's main business districts. The old bridge's demolition was featured on a Discovery Channel's 'The Blasters.' Construction was completed more than a year after its planned construction date, being dedicated May 6, 2007, exactly 92 years after the former bridge was dedicated. An article published in 1990 as plans to construct the new bridge: New Bridge would be Fifth Journal-News, Sunday, Aug. 12, 1990 By Jim Blount The Ohio Department of Transportation has said it intends to replace the 75-year-old High-Main Street Bridge in the heart of Hamilton. The ODOT plan — still only in the talking stage — could lead to construction of the fifth permanent bridge at that location, this one with as many as six traffic lanes. The first was the 380-foot Miami Bridge, which opened Dec. 29, 1819. It was a supplant to ferries that connected the rival towns of Hamilton and Rossville on opposite sides of the Great Miami River. Although authorized by the Ohio General Assembly, the Miami Bridge was a private venture capitalized by stockholders, mostly residents of Hamilton and Rossville. The two-lane bridge was opened in 1819, despite an outbreak of malaria, which took the lives of some bridge workers and a stroke that claimed the life of Nathan Hunt, the contractor. It cost $25,194.84, which was considerably more than the $17,000 in the original contract. It went down Sept. 20, 1866, in a flood. In 1867, a suspension bridge replaced the fallen 46-year-old covered wood span. The second bridge, which had two impressive stone pillars at each end, cost $85,000. It was razed in 1895 to make way for a $109,000 iron truss bridge which builders claimed was then the longest single span bridge in the nation. It was one of four bridges washed away March 25-26,1913, in Hamilton's greatest flood. A ferry and pontoon bridges were temporary links for the divided city until a temporary piling bridge could be built between High Street on the east side of the river and Main Street on the west side. A county emergency board formed in April 1913 authorized the issuance of bonds to build the fourth bridge. Board members were the three county commissioners, Frank J. Davis, James Harmon and Edward Hemann, plus George T. Reiss, Charles E. Mason and T. C. Simpson. A $142,440.90 contract was awarded to the A. J. Yawger Co. of Indianapolis which built the span under the director of Fred M. Hammerle, county engineer. Work began May 11, 1914, on the 576 by 66-foot bridge, and it was dedicated less than a year later. Thursday, May 6, 1915, after a parade, County Prosecutor Ben A. Bickley presided over ceremonies at the bridge, which was christened with champagne by Miss Margaret Murphy, Miss Mary Francis Davis and Miss Norma Hemann of Hamilton, Miss Clara Van Ausdal of Oxford, and Miss Leotta Coddington of Middletown. The neutral United States moved closer to involvement the day after the bridge ceremonies when a German submarine torpedoed and sank the Lusitania, a British liner with about 1,800 passengers aboard. There were about 1,200 casualties, including 128 Americans, when the ship went down off the coast of Ireland on Friday, May 6, at 2:33 p.m., almost 24 hours to the minute after the start the bridge dedicated in Hamilton. Nearly 30 years and another world war later, an accident led to improvements and expansion for the High-Main Street Bridge. A section of the north sidewalk collapsed under a Hamilton woman at 7:20 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, 1945. After a 45-foot fall, she was rescued by Hamilton Patrolman Henry Teboe. After that near tragedy, the county and state spent $87,000 to repair and widen the bridge to its present configuration. West traffic patterns were improved in the 1960s when bridge lanes were connected to and from Park and Ross avenues. - The suspension bridge, inspired by Cincinnati's Robling The truss bridge, longest single span in the nation when it was built Rebuilding after the 1913 flood Dedication of 1914 bridge Collapse in 1940's Widening the bridge after the collapse 1950's Not too long before demolition Final design The bridge was constructed in two sections, one north of the old bridge so that traffic was never interrupted Bam! Wording from the first bridge The west side plaza features two plazas and ramps that connect with the bike trail Luckily this was preserved East side plaza While the fountain was changed, the marker was retained and incorporated into the east plaza As Hamilton is the CITY OF SCULPTURE, eight wonderful medallions were included in the bridge's construction. Seven of the medallions focus of the history of Hamilton, while one looks to the future. This is a famous image locally Four local children are pictured in this medallion Several scupltures are planned for the renovated west plaza; one has already been installed One of my favorites in Hamilton, Space Countdown has been in place since the 80's The Dedication - May 6, 2007 ODOT big-wig Norikazu Thomas Tsuchiya, Sculptor Jim Blount, Hamilton Historian The four youth pictured in the Hamiltonia medallion Don Ryan, Mayor I find it comical to see Strickland's name, he was never involved in the bridge's construction Local residents gather to recrete a similar photo as the one taken in 1914 of people all across the new bridge Good Night (with a mamapo image)! Hamilton Core Galleries Hamilton! - Gallery 1 - Downtown http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=10975.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 2 – Main Street Business District http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=5108.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 3 - Dayton Lane Historic District http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=5269.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 4 - Rossville Historic District http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=5417.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 5 - Glorious Old Industry http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6730.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 6 - German Village Historic District http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6958.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 7 - Historic Highland Park http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7208.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 8 - Southeast Neighborhood http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7309.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 9 - Prospect Hill and Grandview http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8025.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 10 - Forest Hills and Oak Park http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8107.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 11 - Greenwood Cemetery and St. Stephen's Cemetery http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8438.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 12 - Lindenwald http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=9336.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 13 - Hyde Park and Verlyn Place http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8424.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 14 – Historic Images of City Life and Atmospheres http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8668.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 15 – Art Deco etc. http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8830.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 16 - The Gardens of Rossville http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=9262.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 17 - The Northend and Fordson Heights http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=9501.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 18 - The East Avenue Ghetto and Jefferson http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=10146.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 19 - Butler County Soldiers, Sailors, and Pioneers Monument http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=10205.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 20 - Houses of Worship http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=11847.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 21 - Rough Rossville http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=11244.0 Hamilton! - Gallery 22 - East Hamilton http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=12164.0
July 25, 200717 yr A very nice bridge! The one in Marietta reminds me of this as well -- ODOT planned for a boring, generic overpass, but there was a huge outcry for a recreation.
July 25, 200717 yr wow thats amazing..i love when towns actually put some meaning and effort into building a bridge, of all things... my town, Williamsport, PA, is in the process of doing the same thing with our main bridge, the market street bridge.. i thought it was interesting how they replaced the bridge without severely disrupting traffic, because that's exactly how they have done it here... great post and i will definitely look at those galleries... if you are interested here is the main page http://www.marketstreetbridge.com and here is my friend's gallery of the destruction and construction of the old and new bridge http://www.marketstreetbridge.net
July 25, 200717 yr The bridge seems a bit wider than necessary, and facilitates fast speeds through that portion of town. But the new design is fantastic, and they also incorporated pedestrian elements that really add to the structure. The medallions and lighting are also nice touches on the final design.
July 25, 200717 yr Good job! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 16, 200717 yr I'm new to urbanohio. Is it possible to use an image from this gallery in a publication?
August 17, 200717 yr I'm new to urbanohio. Is it possible to use an image from this gallery in a publication? Which one would you like to use? It shouldn't be a problem if it is one of my originals. I may be able to help you locate permission for the others as well.
August 20, 200717 yr Dang, what a bridge. I hate to say it but I like it better than the previous bridge. I really like those "balconies" it has. Too bad that Roebling-looking bridge isn't still around though. Does it still say "Hamilton - Ohio" along the river?
August 20, 200717 yr ^Nope, that is gone. I love the balconies too; I believe they are technically called 'overlooks.'
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