Bridge Street gets its name from the lone bridge that has connected Dublin with areas east of the Scioto River for well over a century. Dublin’s stone bridge, however, is not original. It is the 3rd iteration over the lifespan of the crossing, replacing an 1879 iron version that replaced the original wooden covered bridge. The iron bridge crossed the river just to the north of the current bridge.

The bridge was constructed between 1935-1936. It was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a Depression-era infrastructure building and jobs program. The project employed about 300 workers.

Since its construction, the bridge has been repaired and altered several times, with the original roadway itself now much wider than it once was.

Construction of the bridge in 1935.

An aerial photo of the old iron bridge taken around 1934.

The new bridge around 1937.

The bridge in the present.

Much has changed between the old images and the present one. Long gone are the fields and quieter life of 1930s Dublin.