Great Stone Viaduct
Overview
Few structures in Belmont County are as iconic as the Great Stone Viaduct. For over 150 years, the towering stone arches have greeted visitors to Bellaire, Ohio. On June 21, 1871, the first train traveled over the 43-stone arch bridge connecting Ohio to West Virginia. And as of October 2022, a 20-arch portion of the stone viaduct is now open to the public as a walking trail, overlook and plaza.
The Great Stone Viaduct was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and it attracts many tourists and railroad enthusiasts each year. The Viaduct is a visual reminder of the community’s past and rich railroad history. As well as a display of strength and engineering.
The Great Stone Viaduct served as the western approach to the former Baltimore and Ohio railroad bridge spanning the Ohio River.
You’ll see the 43 sandstone arches of the Great Stone Viaduct, and the original iron bridge spanning the Ohio River in 1872, just one year after the completion of the construction of the Bridge. It provides photographic opportunities of railroad train activity crossing the Ohio River, and an Ohio History Connection Marker at the Union Street arch.
The Viaduct has even been tied to Hollywood, as it was featured in the 2010 film, Unstoppable, starring Denzel Washington.
