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Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings

	S-BRIDGE (National Road) Ohio
Guernsey County, just off U.S. 40, about 5 miles west of Old Washington. National Historic Road: Salt Fork S-Bridge

Ownership and Administration. Guernsey County.

Significance. This unique bridge, erected in 1828, is a tangible reminder of the National, or Cumberland, Road. The road facilitated the settlement and economic growth of the old Northwest, particularly Ohio. As settlers moved into the interior of Ohio, the road became crowded with traffic. The construction of the road and its background are described under Casselman Bridge, National Road, Md., in this volume.

Work over the low rolling hills of Ohio, between 1825 and 1837, met fewer difficulties than in mountainous West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland; 1 mile of road in Ohio cost $3,400, in contrast to $9,745 per mile between Cumberland, Md., and Uniontown, Pa. In the 1830's the Federal Government turned the Ohio section of the road over to the State. It immediately set up tollhouses, which between 1831 and 1877 collected more than $1 million. S-Bridge, Ohio, is a Registered National Historic Landmark relating primarily to travel and communication.

S-Bridge, Ohio, one of four such bridges in the State, represents a unique type of bridge construction used along the National Road.

Present Appearance. The bridge, one of only four of its kind surviving in Ohio, is in excellent condition. The abutments and arch are apparently original. Not used today for vehicular traffic, the bridge is maintained by Guernsey County and is situated in the center of a small roadside park. A marker explains the bridge's construction.

NHL Designation: 01/29/64