Pollocks Mill Bridge

Most Recent Visit To Bridge: July 3, 2006

Key Facts

Bridge Name	Type	Road	Location	City	Crossing
Pollocks Mill Bridge	Truss	Pollocks Mill Road	Greene County, PA	Rural	Ten Mile Creek

Technical Facts

Construction Date	Structure Length	Deck Width	Builder
1878	163 Feet	15.7 Feet	Massillon Iron Bridge Company of Massillon, Ohio

This bridge is an eleven panel pin connected through Whipple truss. This bridge is among the oldest metal truss bridges I have seen, with an 1878 construction date. The bridge was built by the Massillon Iron Bridge Company. Any metal truss bridge dating from earlier than 1880 is very old, and in my opinion very significant. This bridge retains a great deal of historic integrity, and documents a rare example of a Massillon Iron Bridge Company Whipple truss. The portal bracing of this bridge deserves special note, because it the portal uses a special pole webbing design that was practically Massillon's signature detail during the 1870s. The use of these poles can be seen in the Longman Road Bridge (in the trusses) as well as the Junction Road Bridge (in the top chord), both of Preble County, Ohio. The Pollocks Mill Bridge features large stone abutments, which at one end have extensive wingwalls. The floorbeams and deck were replaced in 1990, suggesting that perhaps someone didn't feel like demolishing it at the time. This bridge needs a total restoration in my opinion, and it should be repainted.

The Historic Bridge Inventory's narrative is in my opinion on-target, and and the historic significance of this bridge is recognized. Also, the survey folks at Lichtenstein apparently have an occasional sense of humor, as indicated in their discussion of the surrounding area!

Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge Inventory

Discussion of Bridge

The 163' long, pin-connected Double Intersection Pratt (Whipple) truss built in 1878 is supported on ashlar abutments with stepped wingwalls. The trusses exhibit many early details including rolled I sections with cover plates riveted to the flanges and cast chafing guards/guides for the diagonals. The counters pass through openings in the web of the verticals. Pin plates riveted to the ends of the verticals facilitate connections at the panel points. In 1990 the original floorbeams were replaced with new steel I beams, and the timber stringers were replaced in kind, otherwise the bridge is remarkably complete. This early bridge is historically and technologically significant.

Discussion of Surrounding Area

The bridge carries 1 lane of an unimproved township road over a stream in a sparsely developed, forested area. Just east of the bridge is an overpass carrying a branch of the Monongahela RR over TR 597. No buildings are near the bridge, just a dead, mutilated deer carcass,-- charming.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes