140-year-old bridge getting new lease on life
Structure being moved today for repairs

by Abbey Roy

No worries — it’s not for good, and local builders and historians will be working diligently in the next few months to build it up with whatever materials necessary.

The historic post-Civil War cast-iron and wrought-iron bridge, also known as Bridge 411, will be moved today from its position over Rocky Fork Creek near Camp Falling Rock for repairs.

Once the work is complete, the bridge will be moved to a location about 300 yards down the creek — not far from a historic covered bridge of a similar vintage.

The bridge is one of three surviving cast-iron post truss bridges in the United States, said Dave Fryman, an active Camp Falling Rock volunteer and member of the camp’s properties committee who will be involved in the project.

“Since it’s historic, we’re rescuing it and restoring it,” Fryman said.

The bridge was built in 1872 and stood in Perry Township before being moved to Hebron and, in 1931, to Licking County, where it was placed along the road that at the time served as the entrance to Camp Falling Rock.

Over time, the stretch of road was abandoned and the creek washed out the bridge’s abutments. The structure became rusted in places and needs a number of repairs, Fryman said, which will be assessed and administered as necessary after the bridge is moved to solid ground today.

Dingey Movers, a Zanesville company with experience moving bridges much larger than this — it weighs in at between 20 and 30 tons, Fryman estimated — on Monday had begun preparing for the move.

The bridge has been raised with hydraulic jacks to steady it as it moves off the creek onto steel plates that will prevent it from sinking, Fryman said. After the move, the bridge will be examined to determine what portions of it will need to be repaired and which can be replaced.

“We just need to get it to where we can see everything and what’s the best way to go about it,” said Fryman, who specializes in lumber for historical projects. “(We want to) try to replace as little as possible and try to repair everything we can.”

The Rock Foundation, which supports activities at Camp Falling Rock, is funding the project and has consulted with historians from the Ohio Historical Society and a bridge restoration expert from Michigan in preparation for the move and restoration.

After repairs are completed and preparations are made at the bridge’s future home — pouring of concrete pads and some excavation of dirt, Fryman said — the bridge will be re-situated and used once more.

Though Fryman was uncertain about the timeline because of weather conditions and yet-to-be determined repairs, he conservatively estimated April or May.

The foundation also is considering adding to the property another similar-vintage bridge in Hanover, one with two lanes and that is slightly longer, Fryman said.

from newarkadvocate.com