Bergstresser / Dietz Bridge, the last remaining covered bridge in

Franklin County, Ohio Franklin County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 1,323,807, making it the List of counties in Ohio, most populous county in Ohio. Most of its la ...

, United States, is located within the city limits of

Canal Winchester, Ohio Canal Winchester is a city in Fairfield and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 9,107 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb in the Columbus metropolitan area. History Canal Winchester was founded in 1828 by Reuben Dov ...

in southeastern Franklin County. Historical Landmarks in Canal Winchester, Ohio The wooden bridge crosses Little Walnut Creek, which is a tributary of the

Scioto River The Scioto River ( ) is a river in central and southern Ohio more than in length. It rises in Hardin County, Ohio, Hardin County just north of Roundhead, Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olent ...

. Although the bridge is in serviceable condition, it is only open to foot traffic.
Bergstresser/Dietz Covered Bridge Data on the Historical Marker Database

Location

The Bergstresser/Dietz Bridge is located adjacent to the intersection of Ashbrook Road and Washington Street in Canal Winchester. The bridge crosses Little Walnut Creek at what has been termed Kramer's Ford. An Ohio Historical Marker commemorating the bridge is located at the corner of Ashbrook Road and Washington Street.

History

In the 1800s, the village of Canal Winchester was important to the local economies of southeastern Franklin and northwestern Fairfield counties. The village evolved into a local transportation hub because the

Ohio and Erie Canal The Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed during the 1820s and early 1830s in Ohio. It connected Akron, Ohio, Akron with the Cuyahoga River near its outlet on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland, and a few years later, with the Ohio ...

and the

Hocking Valley Railway The Hocking Valley Railway was a railroad in the U.S. state of Ohio, with a main line from Toledo, OH, Toledo to Athens, OH, Athens and Pomeroy, OH, Pomeroy via Columbus, OH, Columbus. It also had several branches to the coal mines of the Hockin ...

passed through.Village of Canal Winchester website
/ref> Canal Winchester Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ohio Canal Winchester Historical Society Little Walnut Creek acted as a moderate barrier to local farmers who transported crops into town. As a result, local citizens petitioned for a bridge to be built over Little Walnut Creek. In March 1887, the Franklin County Commissioners announced the building of a bridge over Little Walnut Creek at Kramer's Ford. Michael Corbett of

Groveport, Ohio Groveport is a city (United States)#Ohio, city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus. The population was 6,009 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Groveport had its start as a sing ...

, contracted to construct the abutments and the Columbus Bridge Company built the covered bridge for $2,690.00. Reuben Partridge, company vice president, supervised the building, using his patented

truss A truss is an assembly of ''members'' such as Beam (structure), beams, connected by ''nodes'', that creates a rigid structure. In engineering, a truss is a structure that "consists of two-force members only, where the members are organized so ...

system consisting of double and triple truss members constructed of pine and oak. In the 1930s, the road traveling over the bridge became State Route 674, and in the 1950s the road was redirected to bypass the covered bridge.

Preservation

In 1990, the county contracted with Abba Lichtenstein & Associates to evaluate the condition of the bridge. The W.J. Seidensticker Company repaired and restored the Bergstresser/Dietz Bridge using original and new materials. The bridge was rededicated on September 1, 1991. At this time, the ownership of the bridge was transferred to the village of Canal Winchester. The Ohio Historical Marker (Marker Number 17-25) was erected in 1992 by Citizens for Positive Growth for the Village of Canal Winchester and the Ohio Historical Society.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergstresser Dietz Covered Bridge Bridges completed in 1887 Transportation buildings and structures in Franklin County, Ohio National Register of Historic Places in Franklin County, Ohio Tourist attractions in Franklin County, Ohio Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio Wooden bridges in Ohio Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio Pratt truss bridges in the United States