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Gaysport, Muskingum County

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Inventory Number: OH/35-60-100x
County: Muskingum County
Township: Blue Rock
Town/Village: Gaysport
Bridge Name: Gaysport
Crosses: Muskingum River
Truss type: Howe
Spans: 3
Length: 550'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1886/87
Builder:
When Lost: 1889
Cause:
Latitude: N39 48.240
Longitude: W081 53.607
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: County road at Gaysport.

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Comments:
This was the last structure of its type to be constructed on the Muskingum River. It also had the shortest life span. The Muskingum County Commissioners' Journal says that on May 5, 1885, a committee of citizens appeared before the board to urge construction of a bridge. The commissioners granted the contract to T.B. Townsend for the masonry and to the Smith Bridge Company for the superstructure of a Howe truss covered bridge to cost $31,657.50. The specifications called for 'one roadway 18 feet wide in the clear and one sidewalk.' The structure consisted of one pivot draw 150 feet long, three fixed spans of 150 feet each, and one fixed span of 50 feet. During construction the U.S. Corps of Engineers took control of the river and insisted on some changes in the plans. The Courier announced the opening of the structure as follows on September 2, 1887: 'Asa C. Gay of Gaysport was the first person to drive across the new bridge with horses and wagon yesterday.' About a year later a wind storm blew three spans of the bridge off the piers, leaving only the draw. In 1889 the three wood spans were replaced by steel construction.

Sources:
Muskingum River Covered Bridges by Schneider, Norris F., page 9-10.
Wood, Miriam. Ohio Covered Bridge Index, Muskingum County

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