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All the United States Ohio Bay Village Porter Creek Bridge Ruins

Porter Creek Bridge Ruins

The overgrown remains of an old rail bridge rise above the valley like ancient Greek ruins.

Bay Village, Ohio

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Brandon Parsons
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Porter Creek Bridge Ruins.   MrPExplores / Atlas Obscura User
Porter Creek Bridge Ruins.   MrPExplores / Atlas Obscura User
Porter Creek Bridge Ruins.   MrPExplores / Atlas Obscura User
In February, no leaves to block the view!  
Porter Creek Bridge Ruins.   MrPExplores / Atlas Obscura User
Porter Creek Bridge Ruins.   MrPExplores / Atlas Obscura User
Lake Shore Electric Railway Trestle Remnants   Eric CLE / Atlas Obscura User
Porter Creek Bridge Ruins.   MrPExplores / Atlas Obscura User
  simonellilaw / Atlas Obscura User
  simonellilaw / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the age before automobiles or air travel, the people of northern Ohio traveled on a network of interurban trolley lines known as the Lake Shore Electric Railroad. The rail system connected Cleveland to Toledo, and towns such as Fremont and Sandusky in between.

Today, scant few remnants of that historical infrastructure remain, and one of the best examples is this defunct rail bridge that once ran over Porter Creek in Bay Village. The bridge piers and remnants exist as a reminder of Ohio's rail-heavy past, stretching across the creek on its way to nearby Huntington Beach and Lake Erie like a colossus. 

The bridge was originally built in 1901 and saw heavy use through the 1920s, spanning over the wide Porter Creek valley. But during the Great Depression, the railroad company slowly declined until it finally went bankrupt in 1939. The line was dismantled, the tracks removed, and the Porter Creek Bridge stood as a sad, stark reminder of what once was. 

Today, the overgrown remains of the bridge rise above the Porter Creek Valley like ancient Greek ruins, covered in creeping, tenacious vines and the thick greenery of summer. These modern-day ruins invoke wonder in those who come across them while hiking within the valley.

Related Tags

Ruins Railroads History Infrastructure Bridges Abandoned

Know Before You Go

Getting to the bridge piers and remnants is extremely easy. Park at the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center located on Porter Creek Road in Bay Village. Follow the bicycle path north along the road until the path dips down below the bridge piers. To cross the creek to the other side, continue north on the bicycle path, cross the bridge over the creek and cross to the west side of the road. Paths lead back along the creek towards the bridge piers deeper into the woods.

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MrPExplores

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Eric CLE, curnaland1, simonellilaw

  • Eric CLE
  • curnaland1
  • simonellilaw

Published

July 30, 2018

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Porter Creek Bridge Ruins
Porter Creek Drive
Bay Village, Ohio
United States
41.48764, -81.936488
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