Forty-two years ago this month, crews began packing up a historic bridge on Lower Gratis Road in Farmersville for its trip to Carillon Park in Dayton.

The bridge, built in Dayton in 1881, spanned Toms Run, a legendary home for local native Americans. The bridge was notable due to its wrought iron construction, one of the last bridges made that way before steel was commonly used.

According to a Dayton Daily News story from 1984, Montgomery County bridge and map engineer Joe Servaites said a $230,000 federal grant would help move the bridge and pay for a replacement.

News accounts say Lower Gratis Road was closed March 1, 1984 for nearly five months for the move and bridge work.

By May 1984, it was being reassembled at Carillon Park. The park held a dedication in April 1985, with special invitation given to members of the Farmersville Historical Society, according to their newsletter.

According to a plaque at Carillon Park, the bridge was built at Columbia Bridge Works in Dayton. Founder David H. Morrison was Dayton’s city engineer and considered the “father of Dayton’s public works.”

Carillon Park is open year-round. The bridge is fully outlined with lights during the annual Carillon Christmas event. Free family passes are available from the Germantown Public Library.

© 2026 Twin Creek Times

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