Skip to Main Content

Gallipolis, Ohio: Silver Bridge Disaster Eye-Bar

The Silver Bridge collapsed in 1967, taking 46 lives, after structural supports like this large metal eyebar failed. The bridge collapse has been tied in with lore and historical sightings of Mothman.

Address:
Hwy 7, Gallipolis, OH
Directions:
Two miles north of Gallipolis, Ohio on Route 7. In a rest area north of the intersection with Georges Creek Rd..
Save to My Sights

Visitor Tips and News About Silver Bridge Disaster Eye-Bar

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Historical marker.

Ohio's Silver Bridge Memorial

Ohio's memorial to the Silver Bridge disaster is more educational than the plaque in West Virginia. The Ohio memorial has a plaque explaining what happened on December 15, 1967, the names of the 46 people who lost their lives, and an eye-bar. This was similar to the piece that failed causing the bridge to collapse into the Ohio River.

[Thom H, 04/08/2018]

Silver Bridge Eyebar.

Silver Bridge Eye-Bar

The Silver Bridge Eye-Bar is located at a rest area two miles north of Gallipolis, Ohio on Route 7. The Silver Bridge collapsed on December 15, 1967, taking 46 lives. This particular eye-bar doesn't seem to have been used on the actual Silver Bridge but this appears to be the only memorial to the bridge located in Ohio (there are several in nearby Point Pleasant, West Virginia).

[Greg Brown, 06/23/2011]

The bridge fell when one of its suspension "eyebars" mysteriously snapped (it used chained-together eyebars rather than suspension cables). The one on display is "similar to the one that fractured," according to its plaque -- a visual aid, close enough.


Nearby Offbeat Places

Silver Bridge Mural: Pre-DoomSilver Bridge Mural: Pre-Doom, Point Pleasant, WV - 1 mi.
Stainless Steel PioneersStainless Steel Pioneers, Point Pleasant, WV - 1 mi.
Mothman MuseumMothman Museum, Point Pleasant, WV - 1 mi.
In the region:
Muffler Man, Parkersburg, WV - 41 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create and Save Your Own Crazy Road Trip! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Ohio Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings