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 (NRHP).
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 built by the firm include many that are NRHP-listed (and which then usually are still surviving). 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 (by state then city):
Wilson Pratt Truss Bridge, 2.9 m. W. of Rain Rd. on 3200 Ave., Chapman, Kansas, NRHP-listedChapman Creek Pratt Truss Bridge, Quail Rd., 1.7 mi. S of int. with KS 18, 2.5 mi. N of Chapman, Chapman, Kansas, NRHP-listedSand Cree Truss Leg Bedstead Bridge, Rd. Y, 0.5 mi. W of int with KS 283, 2 mi. N of KS 9 and 6 mi. NE of Lenora, Lenora, Kansas, NRHP-listedNorth Fork Solomon River Lattice Truss Bridge, Rd. W&, 0.1 mi. S of int with Rd. BB, 1.5 mi. W of Lenora, Lenora, Kansas, NRHP-listedBattle Creek King Post Truss Bridge, W. Eagle Rd., 3.0 mi. E of jct. with Washington Rd., Long Island, Kansas, NRHP-listedJack Creek Kingpost, SE of Long Island, Long Island, Kansas, NRHP-listedWest Sappa Creek Lattice, NW of Norton over West Sappa Creek, Norton, Kansas, NRHP-listedFour Mile Creek Lattice, over Four Mile Creek, SE of Wilsey, Wilsey, Kansas, NRHP-listedSwan Creek Bridge, N of Forsyth, Forsyth, Missouri, NRHP-listedTurkey Creek Bridge, Co. Rd. over Turkey Creek, 2 mi. W and 1 mi. S of Ragan, Ragan, Nebraska, NRHP-listedWillow Creek Bridge, Co. Rd. over Willow Cr., 6.5 mi. S of Foster, Foster, Nebraska, NRHP-listedCanton Bridge Company Bridge over an artificial pool by the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney, Nebraska.Adamson Bridge, NE 97 over the Niobrara River, 7.8 mi. SW of Valentine, Nebraska, NRHP-listedBell Bridge, Co. Rd. over the Niobrara R., 11.9 mi. NE of Valentine, Valentine, Nebraska, NRHP-listedBig Blue River Bridge, Twp. Rd. over Big Blue River, 1 mi. SE of Surprise, Surprise, Nebraska, NRHP-listedBorman Bridge, Co. Rd. over the Niobrara River, 2.3 mi. SE of Valentine, Valentine, Nebraska, NRHP-listedRanney Bridge, Private Rd. off NY 73 over East Branch of AuSable River, Keene Valley, New York, NRHP-listed as built by Canton Iron Bridge CompanyWitherup Bridge, LR 60007 over Scrubgrass Creek, Kennerdell, Pennsylvania, NRHP-listedVale Cut-Off Belle Fourche River Bridge, 7 mi. SW of Newell, Belle Fourche, South Dakota, NRHP-listed (Dismantled in 1980's)South Dakota Dept. of Transportation Bridge No. 10-109-360, Local rd. over the Diversion Dam Inlet Canal, Belle Fourche Irrigation District, Belle Fourche, South Dakota, NRHP-listed, (1906) South Dakota Dept. of Transportation Bridge No. 10-270-338, Viken & Hope Rd. over Horse Creek, Newell, South Dakota, NRHP-listedStonelake Bridge, Stonelake & Orman Rd., Newell, South Dakota, NRHP-listed (Now resides at Newell Golf Course, 1910)Vale Bridge, Gammon & Dunn Rd. over Belle Fourche River, Vale, South Dakota, NRHP-listed (Gammon Bridge, 1906)Cheat Bridge, in Cheat Bridge, West Virginia, a metal truss bridgeStouts Mill Bridge, Duskcamp Rd., over Little Kanawha River, Stouts Mill, West Virginia,ECS Bridge over Big Goose Creek, Cty. Rd. CN3-93, Sheridan, Wyoming, NRHP-listedEDL Peloux Bridge, Cty. Rd. CN16-40, Buffalo, Wyoming, NRHP-listedEDZ Irigary Bridge, Cty. Rd. CN16-254, Sussex, Wyoming, NRHP-listed
