The Harmar Bridge begins to turn as inspections take place in downtown Marietta in March. (File photo)

The Historic Harmar Bridge Company recently received “a momentum-shifting” gift with the donation of $300,000 by local philanthropist Laurie Hadler.

According to an announcement on the nonprofit organization’s website, board member Heather McCarter announced the contribution by her friend at the April board meeting. Hadler, former owner and operator of local McDonald’s locations, said in a letter to the board that she would make the unrestricted donation for construction on the bridge in honor of her mother, the late Elizabeth (Betty) Hadler.

“Your work, and the work of so many others, on saving and rehabilitating the Harmar Railroad Bridge, has given me great satisfaction as I remember the days in my mother’s home on Fort Street and our many walks across the bridge with her and my daughters,” Hadler said in the letter, which was posted at historicharmarbridge.com.

Hadler said she hopes her gift “inspires others to invest in our future in this beautiful town and underscores our community’s commitment to saving this bridge and reintegrating it into our fabric, both as an economic development incentive and as an enhancement to the quality of life we share.”

Initially built as a covered bridge in 1856, the Harmar Bridge was converted to a railroad bridge in the 1860s. It was retired from railroad traffic in 1967 and later became a pedestrian bridge.

It was closed in January 2020, and the company is working to make the structure safe once more for pedestrian traffic and reopen it as a connection between harmar and downtown Marietta.

Toward that end, funds to cover an evaluation of the bridge were secured earlier this year. Engineering inspections of the bridge’s swing span were conducted, paving the way to begin construction on it and the bridge’s east approach with a $1 million Ohio Department of Transportation Transportation Alternative Program grant.

The post from the bridge company says Hadler’s gift provides an opportunity “to pivot and begin planning for the next phase of the construction project.”