Wrought Iron Bridge Company

Wrought Iron Bridge Company

Company type	Private
Industry	Bridge manufacturing and construction
Founded	1864
Founder	David Hammond
Defunct	1900
Fate	Merged into American Bridge Company
Headquarters	Canton, Ohio , United States
Products	Iron truss bridges

The Wrought Iron Bridge Company was a leading manufacturer and builder of bridges based in Canton, Ohio. Established in 1864 by David Hammond, the firm specialized in producing iron truss bridges and emerged as a significant contributor to infrastructure development in the late 1800s. In 1900, financier J. P. Morgan merged it with 27 other companies to form the American Bridge Company, representing a major industry consolidation. Numerous bridges constructed by the company are still listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Products

This company primarily produced short-span iron truss bridges designed for roadways, as railroad companies generally handled their own engineering needs. Their approach involved offering a catalog of standardized bridge designs with prefabricated parts. Once an order was placed, components were transported by rail to local builders for swift assembly, facilitating cost-effective and timely project delivery.

1882 pamphlet

A promotional brochure from 1882 details the company’s expansion: nearly 4,300 bridges erected over an 18-year span across 26 states in the U.S., as well as in Canada and Mexico. The firm highlighted its ability to rapidly complete structures, assembling spans between 100 and 140 feet in length within 8 to 15 days—even at remote sites. More extensive undertakings, such as a 350-foot bridge in New Philadelphia, Ohio, were finalized within 40 days after contract award, showcasing operational proficiency that enhanced its competitive position.

Surviving bridges

The portfolio of the Wrought Iron Bridge Company includes many historically significant bridges that demonstrate its broad geographic influence and enduring engineering standards:

• Kern Bridge, Blue Earth County, Minnesota (1873)
• Blackfriars Street Bridge, London, Ontario (1875)
• West Liberty Bridge CR-225, Morrow County, Ohio (1876)
• County Line Bowstring near Concordia, Kansas (1876)
• Maple/Foster Bridge, Barton Hills, Michigan (~1876)
• Poffenberger Road Bridge, Jefferson, Maryland (1878)
• Laughery Creek Bridge, Dearborn County, Indiana (1878)
• Dickey Ford Bridge, Orange County, Indiana (~1880)
• Lawrence Bridge, Jackson Junction, Iowa (1880)
• Hotel Bridge, Leeds, Massachusetts (1880)
• Delhi Bridge, Scio Township, Michigan (1883)
• Wells Street Bridge, Fort Wayne, Indiana (1884)
• Pott's Ford Bridge, Glasco, Kansas (1884)
• Gholson Bridge, Brunswick County, Virginia (1884)
• Chain Lakes Bridge near Palo, Iowa (1884)
• Rome Westernville Road Bridge over Mohawk River, New York (1884)
• Van Buren Bridge, Freeport, Illinois (1885)
• Nevius Street Bridge, Raritan/Hillsborough, New Jersey (1886)
• Lattice Road Bridge, Hume, New York (1887)
• East Mineral Road Bridge, Franklin County, Massachusetts (1888)
• Tioga Bridge, White/Carroll Counties, Indiana (1890)
• Aetnaville Bridge, Wheeling, West Virginia (1891)
• Rough Holler Bridge near Hermitage, Missouri (1891)
• Strimple's Mill Road Bridge over Lockatong Creek, Delaware Township, New Jersey (1897)
• Masemore Road Bridge near Baltimore, Maryland (1898)
• Linville Creek Bridge, Broadway, Virginia (1898)
• Walnut River Bridge near Douglass, Kansas (pre-1900)
• Rockafellows Mill Bridge, Rockefellows Mills, New Jersey (1900)
• Springbanks Renwick Road Bridge, Plainfield, Illinois (pre-1901)
• Howell Park Golf Course Bridge in Howell, New Jersey (1899)
• Bishop Road Bridge in Upper Allen Township, Pennsylvania (1898)

These extant bridges illustrate the company’s expansive reach throughout North America and underscore its lasting contributions to infrastructure during its years of operation.

References

• Wrought Iron Bridge Co. (1882). Illustrated Pamphlet of Wrought Iron Bridges [Digital edition]. Canton, Ohio. Accessed July 7, 2009.
• Structurae web article: http://en.structurae.de/firms/data/index.cfm?ID=f000652
• Wrought Iron Bridge Co. photographic collection, 1872-1874 digitized album hosted by Stanford University Libraries