David Simmons
(Ohio History Connection, "Romance of old Bridges. Bridge history and stories)
November 6th, 2022
Guest Lecturer – David Simmons
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David A. Simmons has over four decades of experience evaluating and documenting historic structures. He holds two degrees from Miami University and, since joining the Ohio Historical Society in 1976, has been active in public and private efforts to preserve historic engineering structures. While employed by the state historic preservation office, he eventually oversaw the department responsible for the state historic inventory and National Register of Historic Places nominations. He was an advisor and contributing writer for the four statewide historic bridge inventories prepared by the Ohio Department of Transportation. His extensive research and publishing on the history of Ohio bridge engineering included a regular column — "Historically Speaking" — in the County Engineer's Association of Ohio's quarterly magazine. Beginning in 1985, he helped assemble the program of nine historic bridge conferences, including several international in scope, which provided a forum for exchanging ideas between engineers and historic preservationists. As an officer of the Ohio Historic Bridge Association, Simmons oversaw the restoration of a covered bridge in eastern Ohio.
The Romance & Symbolism of Covered Bridges
By David A. Simmons
Few historic structures in America have a stronger appeal than covered bridges. Popularly known as “kissing bridges,” they connect modern Americans with romantic ideas about their nation’s past. But how did we as Americans arrive at this point? Where did the covered bridge originate? Is there something special about American bridge engineering that contributed to this? If we look closely at covered bridges in an Ohio context, what lessons can we take away? What can a close look at covered brides teach us about our past that goes beyond simple feelings of nostalgia?
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Dave is the President of the "Ohio Historic Bridge Association"
based in Galena, Ohio. You can learn more about him and the
organization at Old Bridges
He will be sharing an interesting lecture about the importance
of old bridges and explaining their unique and desirable features.
He is the "bridge" man and we promise that his presentation will
be well prepared and informative.
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FREE and OPEN to the Public
Stratton Municipal Building
1:00 P.M.
Parking is available beside and behind the building
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