McColly Covered Bridge facts for kids
The McColly Covered Bridge is a really old and special wooden bridge in Logan County, Ohio, United States. It's located in Washington Township, near a place called Bloom Center. This bridge is one of only two covered bridges left in Logan County! It helps people cross the Great Miami River on County Road 13. This road used to be known as the "Covered Bridge Pike."
Quick facts for kids |
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McColly Covered Bridge
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Eastern end of the bridge
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | County Road 13 southeast of Bloom Center in Washington Township, Logan County, Ohio |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1876 |
| Architect | Anderson Green Co.; T.B. Stillwell |
| Architectural style | Howe truss covered bridge |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001458 |
| Added to NRHP | May 28, 1975 |
Building the Bridge
The McColly Covered Bridge was built in 1876. A company called Anderson Green Company from Sidney, Ohio built it. They named the bridge after Nicholas McColly, who owned land nearby.
This company built many bridges in Ohio. But the McColly Bridge is the only one they built that is still standing today! The bridge is about 142 feet (43 m) long. It's also about 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. This means it's long enough for cars to cross safely.
A Special Design
The McColly Bridge is a Howe truss bridge. This is a special way of building bridges using wooden beams and iron rods. This design makes the bridge very strong.
In 1974, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important part of Ohio's history. At that time, it was one of only eighteen Howe truss bridges left in Ohio.
Repairs and Reopening
Over the years, the McColly Bridge needed some repairs. In 1943 and 1958, workers replaced floorboards. They also made the bridge stronger and raised it. This helped protect it from floods.
However, by the 1990s, the bridge was in bad shape. It had been damaged by floods and other issues. In 1993, the county had to close the bridge because it was not safe.
Fixing the Bridge
In 1996, engineers checked the bridge. They found serious problems. The bridge was leaning, and many wooden parts were rotting. Some of its outer walls were also missing.
In 2000, a company was hired to fix the bridge. They worked for ten months. On November 14, 2000, the McColly Bridge was reopened! The Ohio Department of Transportation helped with the project. They said it was a great example of saving and reusing a historic bridge.
- Allen, Richard S. Covered Bridges of the Middle West. Brattleboro: Stephen Greene, 1970.
- Ketcham, Bryan E. Covered Bridges on the Byways of Ohio. Oxford: Oxford, 1969.
