West Main Street
Zanesville, OH 43701Zanesville is located at the confluence of the Muskingum and Licking Rivers. Rather than build two (or three) bridges to get from any shore to another, early bridge builders came up with a radical idea - build a single Y-shaped bridge at the meeting point.
There are have been five different Y-bridges.
The first bridge was built in 1814 and was made of wood and stone. It was used until 1818 when it fell into the river.
The second bridge was built a year after the collapse of the original. After thirteen years of unanticipated heavy traffic, the owners of the bridge decided it needed to be replaced. Many illustrations show the bridge as covered, however, this was not the case.
In 1832 a new Y-bridge opened and it carried traffic until 1900.
The fourth Y-bridge opened in 1902 and it remained in service until 1983.
The fifth and current Y-bridge opened in 1984.
View user comments below.
|
 |
 |
Zanesville Y Bridge. Postcard ca. 1910.
|
|
 |
|
Zanesville Y Bridge. 1940 postcard.
|
|
 |
|
Zanesville Y Bridge. 1934 postcard.
|
|
 |
|
Zanesville Y Bridge. Postcard ca. 1920.
|
|
 |
|
Zanesville Y Bridge. Postcard ca. 1925.
|
|
 |
|
Zanesville Y Bridge. 1910 postcard.
|
|
 |
|
1902 Y-Bridge. Courtesy of the Library of Congress/Historic American Buildings Survey.
|
|
 |
|
1902 Y-Bridge. Courtesy of the Library of Congress/Historic American Buildings Survey.
|
|
 |
|
1902 Y-Bridge. Route 40 goes to the middle of the bridge and turns left. Courtesy of the Library of Congress/Historic American Buildings Survey.
|
|
 |
|
1902 Y-Bridge. Courtesy of the Library of Congress/Historic American Buildings Survey.
|
For more information:
