Lorain’s B&O Ore Bridge Comes Tumbling Down – Dec. 20, 1946

It was 69 years ago this month that an article on the front page of the Friday, December 20, 1946 Lorain Journal reported that the old Baltimore and Ohio ore bridge had been demolished.

Photos accompanying the short article were by W. J. Ashbolt.

The article stated, “The sturdy Baltimore and Ohio ore bridge, a landmark at the mouth of the Black River for 21 years, withstood two attempts to blast it to the ground yesterday, but the third try of the dynamiters was too much. The huge arm of the bridge, which had extended 40 feet over the river, broke off and fell to the ground. Workmen will start cutting away the rest of the bridge next week to make way for the mammoth new B. and O. docks and unloaders now nearing completion at foot of Broadway. Top photo shows the first explosion. The bottom shows the arm crumpled on the ground.”

Here's a vintage postcard of the ore bridge mentioned above when it was under construction, courtesy of historian and archivist Dennis Lamont. Dennis points out that its predecessor had been destroyed by the 1924 Lorain Tornado.

This later color postcard (below) shows the bridge in its heyday.

And here are the B. & O. docks and unloaders that replaced the ore bridge that was torn down.