The search for the Blaine Hill S-Bridge was not an easy one. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

For this story, I was determined to find and take a photo of the National Road’s Blaine Hill S-Bridge and Viaduct, once and for all.

This bridge is the cream of National Road S-bridges, and it’s Ohio’s oldest standing bridge, built in 1828 not long after National Road construction began in Ohio.

In addition, the location provides a dramatic look at three eras of transportation — the brick-and-stone S-bridge built in the 1820s, the US 40 viaduct built next to and over it in the 1930s, and the even higher and larger I-70 overpass built in the early 1960s.

The problem is, US 40 is closed for construction, apparently at the viaduct. The first time I attempted to get video and photos of the bridge, I suffered operator error with my video camera. I had turned it back on after stopping, but forgot to hit the “record” button. Doooh!

This time, the second time, I was determined to bag my quarry. After driving through Belmont County on several stretches of US 40 and the National Road, I drove to Bridgeport, exited I-70 and turned left onto US 40 to go west, ignoring the signs that said “ROAD CLOSED 4 MILES AHEAD.”

I just hoped that (A) my video camera was working properly and (B) I wouldn’t run out of road before I got to the bridge. It turned out that my camera was not working completely properly — it would record for about 30 seconds to a minute, then stop recording, then start recording again. I think it may have something to do with the need to reformat the memory disk before each use.

I did reach the bridge, but the video camera temporarily stopped recording about a tenth of a mile away from the bridge. But at least I found the bridge, and in spite of the construction on the viaduct, photography was possible. So I consider that a win.

You can see the results of this search in this Dusty Tires on the Road video. You’ll also be able to take a virtual drive through the National Road towns of Hendrysburg, Morristown, Lloydsville, St. Clairsville and Bridgeport.

Next time I’ll be turning my car west on US 40 into Columbus, a city I know well from working there for nearly my entire career. But I’m sure I’ll discover some things along the National Road that I have overlooked before.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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