Fudge Road Bridge

Information and Findings From Ohio's Historic Bridge Inventory

Setting/Context

The bridge carries a 2 lane road over a stream in a sparsely developed, rural setting.

Physical Description

The 1 span, 91'-long, pin-connected Pratt pony truss bridge is traditionally composed of built-up compression members and eyebar tension members. It has lattice railings and a concrete jack arch deck.

Summary of Significance

The 1913 pin-connected Pratt pony truss bridge is a late example of a bridge type/design in use from the 1880s to 1910s, but it is among the earlier surviving examples of jack arch decks. Jack arch decks were in use from about 1905 to the 1930s. It was recommended as select in the first inventory, but the it is an example of a standard design and has no innovative or distinctive details. Jack arch decks were used for bridges and for building flooring systems (first in bridge and then in concrete) since the late 19th century. In comparison with the population of metal truss bridges in Ohio, this example is not historically or technologically significant. It does not stand out in the statewide or even regional population. There are 94 earlier examples. The bridge is recommended as not eligible.

Pratt trusses were undoubtedly the most popular truss design of the last quarter of the 19th century and continued to be built into the 20th century, although eventually superseded in popularity by Warren trusses. The design, which initially was a combination of wood compression and iron tension members, was patented in 1844 by Thomas & Caleb Pratt. Ohio has three covered bridges that use this combination configuration, but they are all modern reconstructions based on the Pratt patent. The great advantage of the Pratt over other designs was the relative ease of calculating the distribution of stresses. More significantly, it translated well into an all-metal design in lengths of less than 200'. Significant surviving examples of all-metal Pratt trusses mostly date to the last quarter of the 19th century, and they are found with thru, pony, and the less common bedstead configuration. Prior to about 1890, a variety of panel point connections were in widespread use (including bolts, cast-iron pieces, and pins), but engineering opinion was coalescing around pins as the most efficient and constructible. Many of the connection details were proprietary and associated with individual builders or companies, and thus earlier examples are generally taken to be technologically significant in showing the evolution of the design. Later post-1890 Pratt trusses show a progression toward less variation in their details such that by 1900 the design was quite formulaic with few significant differences between the designs of various builders. This marked the end of the pin-connected Pratt's technological evolution and, in fact, it was soon waning and eclipsed in the highway bridge market by more rigid, rivet-connected truss designs, particularly the Warren but also riveted Pratts starting in the early 1900s.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: No