The Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge, also known as the Monument Place Bridge, is the oldest extant bridge, built in 1817, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The bridge carries

U.S. Route 40 U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America, is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid-Atlantic States. As with most routes wh ...

over

Little Wheeling Creek Little Wheeling Creek is a long 4th order tributary to Wheeling Creek in Ohio County, West Virginia. Variant names According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as: * Middle Wheeling Creek Cour ...

in Elm Grove. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1981.

History

Colonel Moses Shepherd (1763–1832), son of David Shepherd and Rachel (née Teague) Shepherd and first husband of Lydia (née Boggs) Shepherd Cruger (1766–1867), moved to Wheeling with his parents and siblings from Shepherdstown, West Virginia about 1771 and built his prominent home,

Shepherd Hall Shepherd Hall, also known as Monument Place and formerly as Stone Mansion, is a Plantation house in the Southern United States, historic house listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia, Wheeling i ...

, in 1798. Shepherd rose to prominence in the area and befriended House Speaker

Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...

, a friendship credited with the National Road running through Wheeling as well as Shepherd being awarded contracts to construct all bridges along the National Road in Ohio County The construction on the bridge began in 1817 and was completed later the same year. The bridge saw remodeling in 1931 and reinforced in 1953. The bridge is still in use today, still carrying traffic along Route 40.

Appearance

The Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge is a 3 span stone arched bridge. The bridge is constructed with solid uncoarsed limestone blocks. The bridge reaches 208 feet in length over the Little Wheeling Creek below. The middle arch spans 38 feet with two arches to either side spanning 25 feet. The arches are shaped in an ellipse pattern rather than the popular semicircular pattern for aesthetic reasons giving the bridge a "humpback" appearance. Original buttresses were removed in 1931 to make room for sidewalks on either side of the driving lanes. In 1953 the bridge was sprayed with gunite to reinforce and strengthen the bridge. The road has been paved with asphalt several times but has not destroyed the natural integrity in which it was designed and built in 1817.

References

{{NRHP bridges Buildings and structures in Ohio County, West Virginia Landmarks in West Virginia Bridges completed in 1817 Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Transportation in Ohio County, West Virginia U.S. Route 40 Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System National Register of Historic Places in Ohio County, West Virginia Stone arch bridges in the United States

History

Appearance

See also

References