St. Clair Street Bridge
Why it's listed
Carrying St. Clair Street over Seven Mile Creek at the west edge of Eaton, this 104-foot Pratt metal through-truss bridge has a single span of six panels and a 16-foot width. Its batter posts carry cannonball finials and a date of 1887, and a cast metal name plate bears the fabricator's name. The limestone abutments, built in 1886 by Adam and John Trunk, carry blocks cut with the county engineer's name and the masonry contractors' names. A flood earlier in 1886 destroyed many bridges across Preble County, and this one replaced a washed-out metal bridge farther upstream. It was fabricated by the Columbia Bridge Works of Dayton, one of seven known Ohio bridges from that firm. Six of them use a distinctive intermediate post of parallel u-channel beams, while this one uses lattice girder posts, making it the only known example of that type. The county engineer has expressed interest in keeping it, and its sidestreet location was seen as favorable for preservation.
Significance in brief: The bridge is one of seven known Ohio metal through-truss bridges fabricated by the Columbia Bridge Works of Dayton. It is also the only known Columbia bridge using the more common lattice girder post design rather than the firm's distinctive paired u-channel intermediate posts, which makes it structurally unique.
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 78002175, listed September 21, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | over Seven Mile Creek, Eaton |
|---|---|
| County | Preble County |
| Listed | September 21, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002175 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1886-87 |
| Architect / builder | Columbia Bridge Works; abutments by Adam and John Trunk |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Posted for a three ton limit; the bridge and abutments are still structurally sound according to the county engineer. Owned by the Preble County Commissioners. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.73998, -84.63852 (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 78002175.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q113968612
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.