Built in 1904, this bridge is a beautiful nine-panel pin-connected Camelback truss bridge. Pin-connected Camelback truss bridges are uncommon, far less common than Parker trusses of their time. This bridge is rare, significant, and worthy of rehabilitation in order to be preserved for generations to come.

This historic truss bridge was in much need of repair after servicing the local community for nearly 120 years. Preble County had previous experience with rehabilitating bridges, but this bridge was the largest project to date. The county partnered with both the fabricator and the galvanizer to come up with a plan for removing the bridge, repairing the structurally deficient areas, removing the hundreds of years of paint, galvanizing the steel and re-erecting the bridge. 

The galvanizing process had it challenges as the fabricator and galvanizer did not want to damage the structure itself from potential distortion. The team came up with a temporary bracing system that allowed for the main members to support one another back to back during the dipping process. The plan was a success and the bridge came out of the galvanizing process with no damage. Immediately, all involved knew this was a different kind of project, as the steel still was marked with the emblem of Carnegie Steel Company, Pittsburgh, PA. 

The residents of Preble will now be able to share this bridge masterpiece and piece of history for years to come thanks to the durability and corrosion protection of hot-dip galvanizing. In August 2020, the bridge was awarded the prestigious Historic Bridge of the Year Award by the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.