04/23/2026
Another remarkable Ohio metal truss bridge has begun a new chapter, as the historic 2 Mile Creek Bridge was relocated by Bach Steel to Tawawa Park in Sidney, Ohio, with the trusses picked and set into place on April 9, 2026.
This bridge is significant not merely as an old surviving span, but as a rare example of a bowstring truss attributed to David H. Morrison, builder of the Columbia Bridge Works of Dayton, Ohio. The bridge was documented in the Ohio Historic Inventory as a bowstring truss built in 1874 by D. H. Morrison, and the form noted that it had been moved in the 1920s to its later long-time farm setting over 2 Mile Creek. The inventory also recorded the bridge as one of three spans originally built in 1874 for a crossing on SR-198 over the Auglaize River, with this span later relocated to the rural private site where it survived for decades.
For those familiar with 19th Century bowstring trusses, Morrison bridges stand apart. While many bowstrings from the period relied heavily on lattice, v-lacing, and other built-up details typical of the era, Morrison and Columbia Bridge Works often showed a preference for rolled wrought iron or steel members and unusual design details that can make these spans appear almost unexpectedly modern. There is something striking about that look: these bridges are unquestionably 19th century in concept, yet the cleaner lines and rolled members give them an appearance that feels ahead of their time. That distinctive character is part of what makes a Morrison bowstring so important to preserve.
The 2 Mile Creek Bridge had long survived in an obscure farm setting, abandoned yet still standing as a rare and highly important survivor. HistoricBridges.org as well as other Ohio bridge historians like David Simmons had previously noted it as one of the only known surviving bowstring bridges built by David H. Morrison. In that rural location, the bridge remained historically important, but it was hidden from nearly everyone and vulnerable simply by virtue of isolation, age, and the realities that face privately situated historic bridges. By moving the bridge to a public park, the structure is now positioned not only for long-term survival, but also for public appreciation.
Its new home in Sidney makes the story even more interesting. Tawawa Park already became the home of the Zenas King Bowstring Bridge, another nationally significant Ohio bowstring that was restored and relocated there in 2020. That bridge, built in 1879 by the King Bridge Company, had also lived a long post-highway life away from its original setting before being saved and moved into the park. As a result, Sidney has already emerged as one of the most unusual and noteworthy places in Ohio for the preservation of bowstring truss bridges. With the arrival of the 2 Mile Creek Bridge, that distinction becomes even stronger.
What is especially exciting here is that these are not two examples of the same builder or the same exact design tradition. The Zenas King bridge represents one of the best-known and most influential Ohio bowstring builders. The 2 Mile Creek Bridge, by contrast, represents David H. Morrison and Columbia Bridge Works, a builder whose surviving work is far rarer and whose design philosophy followed a noticeably different path. Bringing these bridges together in one public setting creates an extraordinary opportunity for comparison. Visitors will be able to see, in one park, two very different expressions of the American bowstring truss: one from the famous King Bridge Company of Cleveland, and one from the distinctive and much rarer Morrison tradition of Dayton.
Bach Steel was proud to help make this happen. The company has built a strong reputation for taking on the difficult and specialized work required to preserve historic metal truss bridges, and this project continues that important record. Relocating a rare 19th century bowstring is not casual work. It requires careful dismantling, transportation, engineering, and re-er****on, all while respecting the fragile significance of a structure that cannot simply be replaced once lost. The setting of the trusses into place on April 9, 2026 marks a major milestone in that effort and makes clear that this important bridge is no longer just a forgotten survivor on a farm lane. It is now on the path toward a new life as a preserved public landmark.
Projects like this also show the value of relocation when preservation in place is not practical. In an ideal world, every historic bridge would remain where it was built. But in the real world, relocation is often what separates survival from loss. When done thoughtfully, relocation can rescue a structure that would otherwise remain inaccessible, neglected, or endangered. In this case, the move to Sidney does more than save a bridge. It creates a destination where the public can encounter, study, and appreciate a type of bridge that was once innovative and common, but today is exceptionally rare.
The 2 Mile Creek Bridge is more than a picturesque old truss. It is a rare surviving work of David H. Morrison, a tangible link to the Columbia Bridge Works of Dayton, and an example of a design approach whose unusual details help set it apart from other bowstrings of its era. Its relocation to Tawawa Park ensures that this bridge will no longer be hidden away in obscurity, but instead will stand where it can be seen, appreciated, and understood by the public.
With the preservation of the Zenas King Bowstring Bridge already complete and the 2 Mile Creek Bridge now joining it, Sidney is quietly becoming one of the most important places in Ohio to experience the bowstring truss bridge tradition firsthand. That is something worth celebrating.
