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THE MAUMEE - PERRYSBURG BRIDGE

A PICTORIAL HISTORY

Historic river crossings between Maumee and Perrysburg...........

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Crossing the river before 1839..............

Maumee-Perrysburg Area ca. 1813

Prior to 1839, the river was crossed by ferryboat, or at times of low water or a frozen river in winter, on foot or horseback.

The map sketch at left depicts the area where a crossing ford of the river existed at the time of the Battle of Fort Meigs in the the War of 1812.

Crossing the river 1839 - 1849..............

Maumee-Perrysburg Bridge ca. 1846

The first bridge was constructed in 1839 by Maumee City at a cost of $4,000 and was built of wood trusses supported on rock-filled log cribs. Breakup of the ice and subsequent high water destroyed the bridge in April 1843. It was rebuilt that year and the second bridge stood until 1849 when spring floods and ice destroyed it. Rough-hewn oak logs from the 1840 bridge cribbing were dredged from the river during removal of the 1928 bridge.

***Crossing the river 1850 - 1880..............***
Maumee-Perrysburg Bridge ca. 1868	A covered toll bridge built on stone piers in 1850 replaced the 1840-1849 bridge. This bridge carried traffic on two levels, an "upper track" and a "lower track". Purchase of this bridge by Lucas and Wood County commissioners in 1877 removed the toll charges; albeit more than eight years after the toll bridge company's charter had expired!
*Crossing the river 1881 - 2002................*
Maumee-Perrysburg Bridge ca.1925	On January 1, 1881 an iron bridge replaced the thirty-year-old span at a cost of $38,000. In February 1884, two sections of the iron bridge were carried away by the spring ice and floods and were subsequently rebuilt. Foundation blocks for the piers of the 1880 bridge can be seen in the river in low, clear water conditions. Iron artifacts from the 1880 bridge appeared from the river during removal of the 1928 bridge.

Railway crossings 1854 - 1925................

Toledo, Bowling Green, Findlay & Southern Bridge ca.1920

Three railway spans crossed the Foot of the Rapids:

The first, constructed in 1854, carried the Junction Railroad. This bridge was located several hundred feet above the 1850 vehicle /pedestrian bridge and was located on the same line as the 1905 Toledo, Bowling Green, Findlay & Southern interurban bridge that followed. This bridge lasted less than twenty years.

The second, constructed in 1895, carried the Toledo & Maumee Valley railway interurban line. This bridge was constructed just below the 1881 iron bridge. This bridge lasted into the 1920s and was removed concurrent with the 1881 iron bridge.

The third, constructed in 1905, carried the Toledo, Bowling Green, Findlay & Southern interurban line. This bridge lasted into the 1920s; its remnant piers still visible today.

Locations of Historic Maumee - Perrysburg Bridges