The first was built in 1880. It was a big deal for the growing town – a FREE bridge (meaning no tolls) built with taxpayer dollars. That’s the good news. The bad news: it was washed away by a flood in 1884. A replacement span was quickly constructed on the original piers. That’s the bridge in the 1899 photo showing two wagons and a person on a bicycle. Another bridge replaced that one in 1900.

Then came the 1913 flood which wiped out every bridge on the Muskingum River. That flood was the worst natural disaster in the nation that year. It affected 14 states, killing 1,000 nationwide, costing $10 Billion in today’s dollars. The temporary bridge in the photo was constructed after the flood. It’s a pretty rough structure, but it didn’t deter folks on the bridge from dressing up. The replacement bridge in 1914 lasted until 2000, when it was demolished in a controlled explosion. These first 4 bridges featured swing spans which opened to allow boats to pass through.

The current bridge, officially named the “Putnam Bridge,” not Putnam Street Bridge, was dedicated in 2000. It’s high enough for most river boats to pass through. This bridge has a series of educational markers on the walkways which create a tour all its own. Walk across and check it out.