National Register of Historic Places

Y Bridge

Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio
Listed
November 2, 1973
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73001516

About this property

The Zanesville Y-Bridge is a historic Y-shaped three-way bridge that spans the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers in downtown Zanesville, Ohio. It carries the traffic of U.S. Route 40 (Main Street and West Main Street), as well as Linden Avenue. The flow of Muskingum has been regulated by a series of dams and locks since the mid-19th century. Before the regulation serious floods often occurred, which washed away or weakened the earliest bridges. The first Zanesville Y-Bridge was constructed in 1814. The trestle bridge stood for four years. The second wooden bridge was erected in 1819. New roads were built in the area and traffic increased. A winter flood in 1831–1832 weakened the second bridge to be unsafe for the increased traffic. A third iteration, a wooden covered bridge was completed in 1832 and stood until 1900. The next bridge opened in early 1902. It had concrete balustrade railings which were lost to the 1913 flood and replaced with pipe railings. The fourth bridge was deemed unsafe in 1979. After demolition it was found that only one of the three segments needed actual replacement, the other spans would have needed only surface repairs. The current concrete and steel bridge, a multi-way bridge, is the fifth in the series on the same location. It opened in 1984. While being a relief to traffic and the citizens, it has received criticism for a tunnel-like effect due to its solid railings, providing hardly any view of the scenery. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed in 1973, before the fourth bridge was replaced by the fifth. List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Ohio National Register of Historic Places listings in Muskingum County, Ohio Schneider, Norris (1950). Y-Bridge City: The Story of Zanesville and Muskingum County, Ohio. Zanesville, Ohio: World Publishing Company. Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. OH-22, "Y-Bridge, Spanning confluence of Muskingham & Licking Rivers, Zanesville, Muskingum County, OH", 15 photos, 13 data pages, 2 photo caption pages History of the various Zanesville Y-bridges Archived August 12, 2020, at the Wayback Machine

Location

Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio
39.94043, -82.01324

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Y Bridge

This page lists Y Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Y Bridge report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Baker Brothers Wholesale Grocery
Industrial
0.1 mi
Crescent Hill
Industrial
0.1 mi
St. Nicholas's Catholic Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Wiles, Perry, Grocery Company
Industrial
0.2 mi
Harper-Cosgrave Block
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Morgan's Raid — Zanesville Approach Skirmish
1863Civil War
0 mi

Questions about this property

When was Y Bridge listed on the National Register?

Y Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 2, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Y Bridge?

Y Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Y Bridge?

The period of significance for Y Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Y Bridge?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Y Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Muskingum County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Muskingum County.

Explore MuskingumCounty ›

More historic places in Ohio

Browse all historic places in Ohio.

View Ohiohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Ohio history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Ohiohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Y Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report