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| Photo from Bridge Hunter and an eBook |
Boatnerd has a nice description and photos of the 1957 allision that caused the bridge to be torn down. I particularly like this photo because it shows the grain elevators and a roundhouse that existed in 1957.
ToledoBlade has another photo of the wreck and a history of the bridge. Ice flows, high wind, heavy traffic, and age had cost the city a lot of money for repairs before the 1957 wreck. So they decided to use the $500,000 damage estimate for this wreck to help pay for a new bridge.
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| safe_image for Pinterest for BoatNerd The freighter Champlain took out Toledo’s Fassett St bridge during a storm in 1957. [BoatNerd shows all of the span that fell into the water.] |
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| East Toledo Historical Society posted Another photo of the Fassett St. The Fassett Street Bridge was completed in 1896 and was Toledo's second Maumee River crossing. The bridge spanned from Walbridge and South avenues to the east side of the river. The bridge was badly damaged in 1957 after 80 mph winds ripped a 8,700-ton freighter from its nearby docks sending it crashing into the middle of the bridge. The Fassett Street Bridge was later razed. Photo courtesy of Melvin Smith Jr. Octagon Fad shared [I spent some time looking for the photo implied by "another photo," but I could not find it.] |
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| Association for Great Lakes Maritime History posted The freighter Champlain after its collision with the Fassett Street Bridge in Toledo, Ohio in 1957 (Image Source: Toledo Blade – Archives). The image was taken by Toledo Blade photographer Doug Moore on April 8, 1957. On April 5, 1957, the freighter was in winter lay-up in Toledo when a line of storms with high winds and heavy rain moved through the area. Winds estimated at over 80 mph caused the vessel’s 12 mooring lines to break. It then began drifting down the Maumee River. The ship came to a stop when it crashed into the Fassett Street Bridge knocking three of the structure's spans into the river. Two vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the crash but made it to safety. The accident also cut power to the bridge and knocked loose its center swing span. Due to the lack of power, the bridge tender on the span to wait for the storm to blow it back into the closed position before he could get off the bridge. Due to the estimated high cost of repairs, the 61-year-old structure remained closed until 1960 when it was torn down. Information Source: Bridge Now and Then posted On April 5, 1957, a line of strong thunder storms moved through northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan with high winds and heavy rain. The CHAMPLAIN was tied up at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad dock in Toledo for the 1956-57 winter. Winds up to 90mph caused the CHAMPLAIN to tear away from the dock, breaking her 12 mooring lines and drift down the Maumee River. The ship came to a stop when it crashed into the Fassett St. Bridge knocking three spans into the river. Two vehicles were on the bridge at the time and turned back for solid ground. The accident cut power to the bridge and knocked the swing span loose causing the bridge tender to wait for the span to be blown back shut so he could get off the bridge.With the damage to the bridge was estimated at $500,000 and weight limits restricted to passenger cars, it was determined that the money would go to a new bridge. The bridge remained closed until the summer of 1960 when it was torn down. |
Joe Myers posted three photos with the comment: "Saw these pics in a historical group. I believe this happened in Toledo Ohio but not sure. Does anyone have any info on the ship or when this happened?"
Michael Moran: It was when the Champlain broke free during layup on 05 April 1957. Took out the Fassett St. Bridge.
Michael Middaugh: The Fassett street bridge was previously damaged by an ice flow and steel grating was improperly placed over the wood decks of the damaged bridge, when the Champlain broke free it finished what mother nature and a poor repair started.
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| Craig Cooper commented on Joe's post Rob Jenkins: Craig Cooper "This time !!???" that's interesting. Michael Moran: The first time was the ice floe I believe in 1906. Then there was wind in 1935. Then 1946 and 1954 were boat strikes. And finally this one did it in completely. [The article explains that the ship took a beating from ice flows because it was built on the narrowest part of the Maumee River.] |
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| Mike Delaney posted Columbia Steamship Co. Crane boat O.S. McFarland cruising through the long gone Fassett St. Bridge in Toledo. The boat is a nice view but the bridge itself is a piece of work in itself in its sordid history. Built in 1897, it suffered numerous mishaps from ice damage, several collisions by vessels, blown over by high winds, was recommended for removal by the Corp of Engineers in 1945 but was allowed to continue with a 5 ton weight limit and suffered two more collisions with the last one finishing it off for good. In 1957 the Cleveland Cliffs Steamer Champlain laid up upstream of the dock was ripped loose by 80MPH winds and smashed into the bridge reducing it to a pile of twisted metal. The bridge was removed permanently. Under designed from the get go and never trusted by the public. View is 1940's era. Delaney collection. |
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| Mike Delaney commented on his post |
I was 4 years old riding my bike down Navarre Avenue towards the Maumee River. I then turned left and headed towards the grain elevators on Miami Street. The winds became very strong and scared me so I turned around to go home. As soon as I turned, I heard a loud crash on the Maumee River and started peddling faster to get home. My parents told me later on what happened to the Fassett Street Bridge. I'm 70 now and remember what happened to this day.
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