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Key Facts |
Bridge Name |
Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
| Venango Veterans Memorial Bridge | Truss | Cussewago Street | Crawford County, PA | Venango | French Creek |
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Technical Facts |
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Construction Date |
Structure Length | Main Spans | Deck Width | Builder |
| 1893 | 261 Feet | 2 | 18 Feet | Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio |
Despite what appears to be a fresh coat of paint, this bridge is now closed to traffic. This is a two-span pin connected Pratt through truss bridge built in 1893. This was one of my favorite bridges that I saw while in Pennsylvania. Everything on this bridge except for the asphalt car deck is historically accurate, from the intact guardrails to the plaques on the bridge. The guardrails on this bridge are beautiful, especially the unique pedestrian guardrails which are quite ornate. This is one of those bridges where the v-lacing on the vertical members faces the roadway, which is less commonly seen on bridges. This bridge is closed to traffic, and PennDOT has even had thoughts of demolishing the bridge just for the sake of demolition with no replacement structure. The future of this bridge is still uncertain. Knowing Pennsylvania's track record for preservation vs demolition, I would not be surprised to see this bridge disappear in a couple years.
Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge InventoryDiscussion of Bridge The 1893, pin connected, two span, 261'-long, Pratt thru truss bridge is supported on an ashlar pier and abutments. It was fabricated by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company, and the hip floor beam hangers have their distinctive four-pronged detail. The cantilevered sidewalk is finished with a handsome lattice railing. Crawford County is rich in pin connected, metal truss bridges with 35 ranging in date from 1870 through the early 20th century remaining. This bridge stands out as a long, complete, multiple span example of its type and design. Adding to its significance is its documentation to a prominent fabricator. The bridge is historically and technologically significant. Discussion of Surrounding Area The bridge carries a 1 lane street and sidewalk over a stream on the east edge of Venango borough. It is not contiguous to the developed area, which consists primarily of undistinguished, early 20th century vernacular houses, most with modern siding and altered windows. Southeast of the bridge is a wooded, sparsely developed area. The setting does not have historic district potential. Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes |
