Bucholtz Highway Private Bridge

This Bridge is in Danger!

This bridge is a private bridge, and is not the Bucholtz Highway bridge shown on the Michigan Historic Bridge Inventory. That bridge had been replaced maybe a year before I made it here, from the looks of the unfinished new pavement on the road. It was like they heard I was going to be coming and just demolished it!

This private bridge is quite a jewel, however. To discuss its significance effectively, a comparison must be made to the Bach Driveway Bridges. Both of the Bach Driveway Bridges are very similar, but not exactly the same in appearance. Both have plaques on them. The plaques on one of the bridges is a shield-shaped plaque that lists no builder, but lists county officials. The other bridge has a square plaque that lists Wynkoop and McGormley as agents of the Toledo Massillon Bridge Co. These two bridges are private bridges also.

The Bucholtz Highway Private Bridge also has a plaque on it, and it is combination of the two Bach plaques. Having that shield-shaped appearance, the plaque lists Wynkoop and McGormley as contracting agents of the Massilon Bridge Co. This supports the idea that the both Bach Driveway Bridges were part of these Wynkoop and McGomley agents for the Massilon Bridge Co. This bridge is a three panel pin connected Pratt pony truss. I thought the length of each panel was quite long; meaning you might expect a bridge of this length to have one more panel. It must have fallen just short of the length needed to justify a four panel bridge. Lattice guardrails are present on the bridge, and the deck, which is long gone, was most likely wood. Eyebars on this bridge are the looped variety. V-lacing is present on vertical members.

I can not imagine being so privileged as to have my very own truss bridge on my property. I know that if I did I would try to take steps to keep this bridge standing. The bridge's steel looks to be in good condition, but its deck is gone, and it had trees growing in it. If it were me, I would try to save this bridge. I would let my house fall into disrepair before I let that bridge fall in the river!