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December 15, 1967, was one of the darkest days in West Virginia history. Sadly, it was only the first of many tragic days that West Virginians would suffer.
The Silver Bridge, which connected Point Pleasant with Gallipolis, Ohio, had opened to traffic in 1928. It was the first bridge in the nation to use an innovative eyebar-link suspension system rather than a traditional wire-cable suspension.
But one of those eyebars had a small, unseen defect. The faulty eyebar eventually cracked and began to corrode, out of sight from the public or bridge inspectors. At about 5 p.m. on December 15, the eyebar failed, setting off a series of other failures that caused the bridge to collapse.
Photo by West Virginia Humanities Council
Nathan Scott rose to become one of West Virginiaâs four richest and most powerful men by 1900.
Photo by West Virginia Humanities Council
The collapse of the Silver Bridge at Point Pleasant led to the passage of federal legislation for a national bridge inspection and safety program.
Photo by West Virginia
Humanities Council
CHARLESTON The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at wvencyclopedia.org.
Dec. 13, 1861: The Battle of Allegheny Mountain, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil Warâs first year, took place in Pocahontas County.
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Remembering Dec. 15, 1967
Staff Report
All photos OVP Archives
All photos OVP Archives
All photos OVP Archives
All photos OVP Archives
All photos OVP Archives
All photos OVP Archives
A look at the front page of the Dec. 16, 1967 edition of the Point Pleasant Register.
All photos OVP Archives
Point Pleasant
Registerreveals a front page that seemed to be unfolding by the minute during a time when getting the news out, wasn’t easy or quick.
The edition recounts eyewitness accounts, including that of Paul Scott, then age 51, of Middleport, Ohio. His account was reported as follows:
“I was in the car. The bridge toppled to one side. We were near the middle of the water going toward Kanauga. I was with J.O. (James) Pullen of Middleport and F.D. (Frederick) Miller of Gallipolis. I don’t know if they made it or not. We work for New York Central. I’m a trainman at Institute, W.Va. The bridge was shaking, once too often. It went to the left, and then to the right,
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