Fort Henry Bridge
Opened to traffic in 1955, the 2,270 foot, four-lane "Tied Arch" Fort Henry bridge was constructed using 6,700 tons of steel and 21,300 cubic yards of concrete. Its piers are sunk into solid rock 40 feet below the river, and its span arch soars 203 feet above the water surface at normal levels. The bridge provides an ultra-modern artery for the Old National Pike (U.S. Route 40) into Ohio and stands in stark contrast to its 160-year-old neighbor, the venerable Suspension Bridge. [Text adapted from Wheeling Then & Now by Duffy and Rinkes, Arcadia, 2010]
Fort Henry Bridge
"Fort Henry Bridge, spanning the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia. This gigantic structure was built at a cost exceeding six million dollars. It serves U. S. Routes 40 and 250. Dedicated September 8, 1955."
†View souvenir pamphlet from September 8, 1955 dedication
†Read the newspaper article in the Wheeling Intelligencer, Friday, September 9th, 1955
Photographs
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