Canton Bridge Company


Canton Bridge Company was a firm that was later incorporated into the American Bridge Company. The firm was established in Canton, Ohio in 1892 and became one of the nation's biggest bridge-builders during the early 20th century. It designed and/or built many bridges that later became listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

History

The Canton Bridge Company was founded in 1892 by Canton native John R. Reed. He was born in 1862 and as a young man was trained in publishing and got a job working for Canton's first daily newspaper in 1878. In 1880 he came to work for the Wrought Iron Bridge Company in Canton where he gained enough insight in the bridge construction trade to go into business for himself in 1892. His company soon became one of the largest bridge builders in the country. Mr. Reed left the company and moved to Joplin, Missouri in 1900 to work for the rival Massillon Bridge and Structural Company which was headquartered there.

Notable bridges

Notable bridges built by the firm include many that are NRHP-listed. Others, not listed on the NRHP, also survive, including the Cheat Bridge, in West Virginia. There are three bridges in Christian County, Missouri that still survive near the town of Ozark, Missouri. They are known as Red Bridge, Green Bridge, and Riverside Bridge. NOTE: Riverside Bridge has been condemned a closed bridge in 2010 because of safety issues from flooding and vehicle accidents impairing the bridge's safety.
Notable ones :