National Register of Historic Places

High Level Bridge

Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia
Listed
December 4, 1991
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
91001734

About this property

The Robert H. Mollohan–Jefferson Street Bridge, also known as the Million Dollar Bridge or High Level Bridge, is located in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia. It was dedicated on May 30, 1921. This bridge connects east and west Fairmont, and crosses the Monongahela River. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. in 1916, Manufactures Record published an article saying that Fairmont, West Virginia had issued a $400,000 bond to build two concrete bridges to replace the mid-19th century suspension bridge. Because the actual cost of the bridges was significantly higher, this project was called the "million dollar bridge." Once plans were prepared, Manufactures Record published a drawing and statistics: 1,320 ft (400 m) long, 56 ft (17 m) wide; with three reinforced concrete arches that each have two ribs and a clear span of 250 ft (76 m). George Carnegie Palmer and Henry Hornbostel of the New York City architectural firm Palmer & Hornbostel were consultants to the Concrete Steel Engineering Company for the design of the bridge. Palmer & Hornbostel gave "the bridge thirty-three concrete obelisks supporting bronze light fixtures, an open balustrade, and four balconies with flagpoles. Below, three large segmental arches with open-rib spandrels evince a happy marriage of engineering and architecture." The bridge opened in 1921. After falling into poor repair over the years, it was preserved, repaired, and reopened in October 2000. The bridge is now a significant historic landmark in the city. It is still the largest reinforced concrete arch bridge in West Virginia.

Location

Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia
39.48253, -80.14071

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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Fairmont Downtown Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Fleming, Thomas W., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Marion County Courthouse and Sheriff's House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Jacobs-Hutchinson Block
Civil War
0.2 mi
Masonic Temple
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Jones-Imboden Raid — Destruction of Fairmont Bridge
1863Civil War
0.1 mi
Jones-Imboden Raid: Fairmont
1863Civil War
0.2 mi
Jones-Imboden Raid - Burning of Fairmont Bridge
1863Civil War
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was High Level Bridge listed on the National Register?

High Level Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 1991.

What type of historic resource is High Level Bridge?

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

What is the period of significance for High Level Bridge?

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

Can I research the history near High Level Bridge?

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