West Fifth Street Bridge
Also known as: Route 531 Bridge; Ashtabula County Lift Bridge
Why it's listed
Carrying State Route 531 across the Ashtabula River near the Lake Erie harbor, this 235-foot lift bridge was built in 1925 by Kell-Atkinson Construction. It is a single-leaf bascule of the Mystic, or Brown balance-beam, type, with a 156-foot Warren truss span that rotates a full 90 degrees while overhead counterweights move through only 70 degrees. A 420-ton concrete block serves as the counterweight. The design reduced steel, weight and cost. It was developed by Thomas E. Brown and his son, early innovators in bascule bridge design, and was first used at Mystic, Connecticut, in 1922. Wendell P. Brown designed the Ashtabula version, which has a more sophisticated balance-beam truss and a truss main span rather than a plate girder. The bridge was listed because it is the only single-leaf bascule left on Ohio's state highway system and because of its place at the east end of the Ashtabula Harbour Historic District.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the only single-leaf bascule bridge remaining on the Ohio state highway system. It also represents the work of two early bascule bridge innovators, Thomas E. Brown and his son. It has local importance at the east end of the Ashtabula Harbour Historic District.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85001801, listed August 23, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 531 over Ashtabula River, Ashtabula |
|---|---|
| County | Ashtabula County |
| Listed | August 23, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001801 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1925 |
| Architect / builder | Kell-Atkinson Construction |
| Architectural style | Mystic type (Brown balance-beam) single-leaf bascule bridge with Warren truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in use for transportation; condition marked fair and unaltered; a rehabilitation program was planned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.90042, -80.79776 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85001801.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4805935
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.