The sternwheeler Major pushes the landing barge through the swing span of the Historical Harmar Village Bridge. (Photo by Art Smith)

The Harmar Bridge was turned for the first time in three years Friday to allow the Valley Gem, the Major Sternwheel Towboat and the Riviera Passenger Barge to pass underneath after the vessels came back from inspection.

Captain Heather Sands said the vessels were transported to a dry dock for inspection to get a COI (certificate of inspection).

“Everything went wonderfully,” Sands said about the inspection.

She said there are plans to have the Major and the Riviera out on the river this spring, late May, entertaining guests.

“This was a very important step for us to get this done,” Sands said.

Volunteers work on turning the Historical Harmar Village Bridge by hand Friday morning to allow the passage of the sternwheeler Major and a landing barge. (Photo by Art Smith)

She said they noticed the local area was in between storms and that the river wasn’t going to be coming down quickly. They contacted Larry Sloter, board member for the Historic Harmar Bridge Company, and asked if they might be able to move the bridge and allow their vessels through.

“It’s unbelievable,” Sands said about the response. “We called the day before yesterday and they immediately got back to us.”

According to a post on the Historic Harmar Bridge Company’s social media board members and a few volunteers, under the supervision of architects, engineers and the Marietta Fire Department, came out Friday morning to turn the man-powered swing that has been operational since the Civil War when it was added to accommodate boat traffic along the Muskingum River.

“Everything went smoothly” Sands said. “It shows how vital it is to the community to keep the bridge functioning.”

Sands said she hopes this helps the community get behind the Historic Harmar Bridge Company and the things they are doing, and to help them understand how vital and important the bridge is to the community as a whole.

She said it’s been 15 years of planning and hard work getting ready for the Major Sternwheel Towboat to push the Riviera Passenger Barge and be in service like the Valley Gem. She said more information would be released to the public as they prepare for that spring launch.