Ballard Road Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ballard Road Covered Bridge
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Western (downstream) side
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Northwest of Jamestown on Ballard Rd. over Caesars Creek |
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| Nearest city | Jamestown, Ohio |
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1883 |
| Architect | H.E. Hebble |
| Architectural style | Howe Truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001408 |
| Added to NRHP | May 29, 1975 |
The Ballard Road Covered Bridge is a really old and special wooden covered bridge in Ohio. It was built a long time ago in the late 1800s. Even though cars don't drive over it anymore, it's still an important historic site that people can visit.
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The Ballard Road Covered Bridge
This historic bridge is found in the southwestern part of Ohio. It was built in 1883 and is now a protected historic place. It's a great example of how bridges were made a long time ago.
How the Bridge Was Built
The Ballard Road Covered Bridge was built by James E. Brown in 1883. He followed a design created by H.E. Hebble. The bridge crosses over a stream called Caesar's Creek.
It was named after a man named Lyman Ballard. He owned a watermill nearby about 30 years before the bridge was built. His mill used water power to grind grain.
Bridge Design and Materials
The bridge uses a special design called a Howe truss. This design uses a pattern of wood and iron pieces to make the bridge very strong. The Ballard Road Bridge has seven of these truss panels. It is about 80 feet long.
The main part of the bridge is made of wood. It also has strong iron parts. The base, called the abutment, is made from limestone. This limestone came from quarries in the local area. The bridge has a metal roof to protect the wood from the weather. Its sides are covered with vertical wooden boards. The openings at each end, called portals, are still the original square shape.
Why This Bridge is Special
Even though the area around the bridge has changed, the Ballard Road Bridge still stands in its original spot. A big, busy road called U.S. Route 35 was built nearby. Now, Ballard Road ends right at the bridge. This means cars can't drive over it anymore.
In the 1970s, this bridge was one of only 18 Howe truss covered bridges left in all of Ohio. Thousands of bridges like this were built across the United States in the 1800s. Because it was so rare and important, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This list helps protect important historical sites.
The Ballard Road Bridge is one of five covered bridges in Greene County. It is the only one of these five that is still open for cars to drive on, though not at its current location.
