4 starts for not collapsing as we drove over it! Very old unique bridge. I wouldn’t go out of my way to drive it, but when in wheeling… something neat to do for free on your way to or from the casino. Oldest active vehicular suspension bridge in the US if I am not mistaken.
Cheryl H.
Place rating: 3 Columbus, OH
The Wheeling Suspension Bridge was the largest suspension bridge in the world from 1849 until the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge was opened in 1851. It was designed by Charles Ellet Jr., who also worked on the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge. The Wheeling bridge was the first to span the Ohio River, and was an important link on the National Road. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 15, 1975. I jacked all that from Wikipedia. I don’t give a crap about the historic significance of this bridge. I give a lot of crap about the personal historic significance of this bridge. Allow me a moment to spin you a tragic tale: As a wee lad, the famz and I would go to the«Big City» of Wheeling for festivals and other such events. In the interest of easy parking, we would park across the bridge on Wheeling Island, and traverse across el bridgo. Only… about halfway across the bridge, my father would, each event, pause to dangle me over the edge, toss me in the air — physically LETTINGGO of me — and insist that he was going to drop me into the cat fish and disease and hobo filled Ohio River. Um, needless to say(as I say it anyway), I am petrified of heights. To the point that I have panic attacks on down escalators. True story. Please start composing your pity cards now. Or feel free to laugh. I wrote this for the latter. At least click the«funny» compliment button. kthx. Well man, I have tried to walk across this bridge as an adult, and I can’t without crying. When you look straight down, you see water. When the wind blows, the structure strays. It’s terrifying. I swear it’s not just me. Sooooooo… I’m giving it 3 stars to balance my «OMGWTFSCREWTHISHORRIBLETHING» one-star reaction with others’ potential, less-personally-traumatic«This is a cool architectural structure» reaction.
