Buffalo Creek Retreat Bridge

Information and Findings From Ohio's Historic Bridge Inventory

Setting/Context

The bridge carries a pathway over a stream in a park setting at the Hubbard Valley Park (Cross Creek Retreat).

Physical Description

The 1 span, 151'-long, Baltimore thru truss bridge is traditionally composed of built-up compression members.

Integrity

Relocated and rehabilitated for bike trail use ca. 2004. Original location was SR 269 over Conrail in Danbury in Erie County (2204177). Removed in 1993 and in storage in Erie County until relocated to Medina, ca. 2004.

Summary of Significance

The 1927 thru truss was determined eligible in 1990. It remained in storage for nearly a decade before being relocated and rehabilitated for use in a park in Medina County. Although relocated, the bridge has retained the original character defining features of the Baltimore truss pattern, with its subdivided panels. It is a technologically late example of a type/design that was developed in the 1870s, but it is a rare type in the state highway context, with only three examples identified dating from 1923 to 1930 (Phase 1A, 2008).

The Baltimore truss, specifically, was designed by engineers of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1871. The truss was adapted for highway use as early as the 1880s, often for spans of modest lengths. When steel replaced wrought iron and rigid, riveted connections replaced pins in the early decades of the twentieth century, the Baltimore truss was used for longer span highway bridges until the 1920s. The Baltimore truss is basically a parallel chord Pratt with sub-divided panels in which each diagonal is braced at its middle with sub-diagonals and vertical sub-struts. The logic leading to subdivided panels stems from the need to maintain an economic spacing of floor beams in longer span bridges. As the distance between chords increases, so does the width of panels. In order to maintain optimum slope of diagonals (45 � 60 degrees) and, an economic spacing of floor beams, the panels were subdivided at intermediate points between the main vertical members. The Baltimore truss is significant for its association with the railroad. Highway bridges built using the Baltimore truss are not amongst the more common bridge types and are considered significant if they retain their character-defining features. Such features include the elements that comprise its form�basically it is Pratt with parallel top and bottom chords, but with generally wide, subdivided panels in which each diagonal is braced at its middle with sub-diagonals and sub-struts. The end posts are inclined. Character defining features include its parallel top and bottom chords, verticals and diagonals (including substruts or sub-ties), floor beams, stringers, struts, form of connection, and portal features (e.g., struts, bracing). [From: A Context for Common Historic Bridge Types by Parsons Brinckerhoff, October 2005]

Justification

The bridge is one of three extant highway examples of the design that is also well represented for railroad bridges. It is of moderate significance.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes