The Silver Bridge Collapsed?

Forty-four years ago today December 15, 1967, our area was in shock when we heard of the collapse of the Silver Bridge. Forty-six died and nearly everyone knew someone, or relatives of someone, who died that day. I guess that’s the way it is in small towns.

Everyone has their story, here’s mine. I was 12, four days later I would be 13. My Mother loaded my brother and me in the car to go Christmas shopping. We were planning to go to Pt. Pleasant, WV and Pomeroy Ohio to shop. Mom decided we would go to Pomeroy first and cross into WV at Mason, travel south to Pt. Pleasant, and cross the Silver Bridge and return home. 

We were in a small Pomeroy store when the news reached us. The Silver Bridge has fallen. People were in shock, not believing what they were hearing. I was cynical, even at 12. I told my Mom that maybe some of the floor fell through making a small pothole, but there was no way the bridge had fallen. They had to be exaggerating.  

We decided to go home on the Ohio side of the river. Approaching Route 35 we saw hundreds of flashing lights. Ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks lined both sides of the highway. The news we heard was correct. The bridge was gone! Massive twisted metal beams were piled up the bridge ramp with mashed cars and trucks spread about. 

I had begun taking pictures as a hobby just a few months earlier and carried my camera everywhere. Mom asked if she should pull over so I could take some pictures. No way! I was afraid of what I might see. 

The incident made national news of course, and it took months to recover the people missing. Two people lost on the bridge never were found. In all, Forty-six people died that evening.

The picture above was taken by Safford's Studio of Pt. Pleasant, WV.