Ashtabula lift bridge

	West Fifth Street Bridge
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	The Ashtabula lift bridge in raised position
Location	SR 531 over Ashtabula River, Ashtabula, Ohio
Coordinates	41°54′1″N 80°47′53″W / 41.90028°N 80.79806°W
Area	less than 1 acre (0.40 ha; 4,000 m2)
Built	1925
Architect	Kell-Atkinson Const.
Architectural style	Single leaf bascule
NRHP reference No.	85001801
Added to NRHP	August 23, 1985

The Ashtabula lift bridge (also known as the West Fifth Street bridge) is a Strauss bascule bridge that carries Ohio State Route 531 over the Ashtabula River in the harbor of Ashtabula, Ohio.

Besides its importance as a major transportation route in Ashtabula, the bridge occupies a crucial location in the city's built environment; the Ashtabula Harbour Commercial District terminates at the bridge's western end.^[2]

History

A river crossing had been at the bridge's site long before it was constructed.^[2]

In 1889, a 19th-century pontoon bridge on the site was replaced by a through truss bridge, which permitted river access because it was a swing bridge.^[2]

In 1925, the bridge was constructed by a Cleveland firm, Wendell P. Brown, for $179,000. The lifting action depends on electric motors and a massive concrete counterweight. It is one of only two of its type that remain in service in the state of Ohio,^[3] and the only one extant in the state highway system.^[2]

In 1985, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[1]

In 1986, the bridge was restored.^[4]

From March 2008 through May 2009, the bridge was closed for repairs and repainting.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Owen, Lorrie K., ed. (1999). Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places. Vol. 1. St. Clair Shores, MI: Somerset. p. 36.
^ Borsvold, David (2003). Ashtabula. Arcadia Publishing. p. 18. ISBN 0-7385-2311-9.
^ ^a ^b Kroll, John (November 30, 2008). "Ashtabula bridge closing separates merchants from shoppers". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2011-01-25.

[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.

[dohp-2] Owen, Lorrie K., ed. (1999). Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places. Vol. 1. St. Clair Shores, MI: Somerset. p. 36.

[3] Borsvold, David (2003). Ashtabula. Arcadia Publishing. p. 18. ISBN 0-7385-2311-9.

[kroll-4] Kroll, John (November 30, 2008). "Ashtabula bridge closing separates merchants from shoppers". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2011-01-25.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Topics	Architectural style categories Contributing property Historic district History of the National Register of Historic Places Keeper of the Register National Park Service Property types
Lists by state	List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Lists by insular areas	American Samoa Guam Minor Outlying Islands Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico Virgin Islands
Lists by associated state	Federated States of Micronesia Marshall Islands Palau
Other areas	District of Columbia American Legation, Morocco
Related	National Historic Preservation Act Historic Preservation Fund List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places portal Category

History

See also

References