GHENT, WV (WVNS) — West Virginia is home to some of the most mythical history and these stone bridges are worthy of recalling their story and a potential visit in the future.
According to the West Virginia Department of Transportation, the oldest, still standing bridge in West Virginia was made in 1817. The Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge, also known as the Monument Place Bridge was built by Colonel Moses Shepherd after he rose to prominence in Elm Grove. The bridge saw remodeling in 1931 and was reinforced with gunite in 1953. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1981 and is still in use today carrying traffic along U.S. Route 40.
While most bridges are made built by municipalities and turnpike companies, some homesteaders took the situation into their own hands to make an accessible bridge for their home. Clark Holcomb, with only the aid of his horse, built a stone arch bridge in 1938 to help with coal delivery to his home. Holcomb quarried and cut all the stone before hitching up his small horse and dragging the stone into place. The bridge, including approaches, is nearly one hundred feet long, eight feet high with a ten foot wide road surface.
In 1832 Pennsylvania builder Silas Harry built the Van Metre Ford Stone Bridge. The Van Metre Ford Stone Bridge is a historic stone arch bridge spanning across Opequon Creek in Martinsburg, WV. The bridge is 132 feet long and constructed of ashlar limestone. In 1977, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was replaced by a modern, two-lane bridge in 2016. The historic stone arch bridge remains as a pedestrian walkway to this day.
Add these bridges to your list of beautiful, historic places to visit in West Virginia! To find more information on bridges in West Virginia visit the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s website.
