Military Order of the Purple Heart Bridge, bridge in United States of America
The Military Order of the Purple Heart Bridge is a steel bridge in West Virginia that crosses the Ohio River, connecting Wheeling Island with Bridgeport, Ohio. It carries U.S. Routes 40 and 250 with a single span and practical girder design built to handle heavy daily traffic.
A wooden covered bridge originally stood at this location from 1836, replaced in 1893 by a steel structure that served for nearly a century. The current bridge was built in the late 1990s to replace the aging predecessor that had deteriorated due to rust and age-related damage.
The bridge is open to vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, connecting the two states directly across the wide Ohio River. Visitors can enjoy views of the river valley and surrounding communities from the crossing, especially on clear days with open views of the flowing water below.
The old nineteenth-century predecessor was demolished in 2011 using explosives and deliberately dropped into the river, after which steel parts were collected for recycling. This controlled demolition was a rare event that linked the site's hidden history with its modern replacement.
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