Broadway Bridge (Greenville, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Broadway Bridge
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Overview from northwest, looking toward downtown
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Broadway over Greenville Creek, Greenville, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1909 |
| Architect | Walter Rice; A.W. Zesiger |
| Architectural style | Three-hinged arch |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000114 |
| Added to NRHP | February 22, 1996 |
The Broadway Bridge is a special old bridge in Greenville, Ohio. It crosses Greenville Creek right near the city center. Built in 1909, this bridge is super important because it carries one of Greenville's main streets, connecting the north and south parts of the city. It's a large concrete bridge designed by an engineer from Cleveland and is now recognized as a historic site.
History of the Broadway Bridge Area
For a long time, most of Greenville, Ohio was on the southeast side of Greenville Creek. By 1857, a bridge already crossed the creek, and some small businesses were nearby. Broadway was always a very important street. The old courthouse was on the public square, and many shops lined Broadway south of the square.
The current courthouse was built in 1874. Broadway Street was paved with bricks in 1900 as more businesses opened along it. The Broadway Bridge is also close to where the famous Treaty of Greenville was signed. During construction work near the bridge many years ago, old burial sites of soldiers were found.
How the Broadway Bridge Was Built
The Broadway Bridge was built in 1909. It's a special kind of arch bridge made from strong concrete. It has one main arch that crosses the entire creek. Along the sides, there's a safety railing, called a balustrade, to keep cars and people from falling into the water.
The bridge was designed by A.W. Zesiger. He was known for building several concrete arch bridges. One of his bridges in Cleveland was thought to be the world's flattest semi-elliptical arch at the time. The Greenville bridge and the Cleveland bridge were built in similar ways. The Greenville bridge needed to be stronger because it carries heavy traffic, unlike a bridge in a park.
After finishing the Broadway Bridge, Zesiger became even more famous. As the Bridge Engineer for Cuyahoga County, Ohio, he helped build the much larger Detroit-Superior High Level Bridge. That huge bridge, made of concrete and steel, was finished in 1917.
Protecting the Broadway Bridge
In 1996, the Broadway Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical site. It earned this honor because it's a key part of local history and a great example of early 20th-century engineering.
The Broadway Bridge is one of twelve places in Greenville listed on the National Register. Other historic spots include the courthouse and the business area on Broadway, which is also a historic district. Today, two state highways, State Route 49 and State Route 571, still cross Greenville Creek using this historic bridge.
