Dear Editor,

It has recently been announced that the Aetnaville Bridge, also known as the Georgia Street bridge, which connects Aetnaville, Ohio, with Wheeling Island, Wheeling, West Virginia, across the Ohio River is scheduled for demolition with work scheduled to begin circa July 28th, 2025.

The historic structure known as the Aetnaville Bridge was erected in 1891 and served the area extremely well throughout its long history until its closure to vehicular traffic in 1988 and later to pedestrian traffic in 2016.

Personally, it is my hope that the historic structure will be replaced by a new bridge, at least with a footbridge that would continue to be of service to the area residents.

In addition, just a few miles south of the Aetnaville Bridge is the Bellaire Bridge, which has been closed to all traffic since 1991 and as yet no plans have been revealed as to what lies ahead, most assuredly demolition but hopefully a decision will be made in the relatively near future that will be of benefit to area residents.

Also, the iconic Wheeling Suspension Bridge, which was originally opened in 1849 and in 1980 was officially inducted into the National Register of Historic Places, has been undergoing extensive repair work and is scheduled to reopen in the near future.

However, it is not yet known if the historic structure will then be open to all traffic including vehicular upon its reopening.

Until its closure in 2019 for repair work, the Wheeling Suspension Bridge had been listed as the oldest working suspension bridge of its type in the Western Hemisphere.

We as area residents have certainly been quite fortunate to have been so well served by the Aetnaville, Bellaire and Wheeling suspension bridge over the many decades of their existence.

They are and will long remain a significant part of our area’s rich history.

Richard Hord

Martins Ferry