Dey Road Bridge
Also known as: Structural File #2033739
Why it's listed
Crossing the Tiffin River northwest of Defiance, Ohio, this 170-foot steel bridge was built in 1906 to replace an older wagon bridge. Defiance County commissioners hired the Toledo-Massillon Bridge Company to build the span for $3,967.50, with Schneider Brothers building the concrete abutments. It is a pin-connected Pratt through truss, with channel and lacing top chords, eye-bar bottom chords and diagonals, and a manufacturer's plate on the west portal. Changes have been minimal. A 1996 rehabilitation replaced the stringers and deck and repainted the structure, and it has been closed to vehicles since 1995, with a newer concrete span built nearby. It was listed for engineering significance. It represents a well preserved Pratt truss and is a rare surviving product of a firm that operated only from 1905 to 1909. Only one other of its bridges is believed to remain in Ohio, and it was earlier named a Selected bridge in state historic bridge surveys.
Significance in brief: The bridge is significant under Criterion C as a well preserved example of a Pratt through truss in Ohio. It is also a rare surviving work of the Toledo-Massillon Bridge Company, which operated only from 1905 to 1909. Only one other bridge by the firm is believed to survive in Ohio.
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 99000095, listed February 5, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 0.35 mi. E of US 24, Defiance |
|---|---|
| County | Defiance County |
| Listed | February 5, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000095 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1906-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Toledo-Massillon Bridge Company |
| Architectural style | OTHER: Pratt through truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed to vehicular traffic since 1995 and listed as not in use; rehabilitated in 1996 with a new timber deck, replacement stringers and fresh paint. A new concrete deck bridge was built to the south. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.29036, -84.38559 (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 99000095.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5268511
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.