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December 16 marked the anniversary of the 1967 collapse of the bridge that crossed the Ohio River between Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. The Point Pleasant Bridge is usually called the Silver Bridge, and its collapse is often associated with the Mothman, a creature reportedly sighted in the area leading up to the disaster. The devastating event took place at rush hour, on a bridge built in 1928 when Model Ts were in use, not the heavier cars that followed. Two cars avoided plunging into the river, but 46 people died, and 9 bodies were never recovered. My great-grandmother lived on the Ohio side of the bridge and we crossed it several times visiting family before its collapse—yes, I’m “that” old. This month, we’ll explore bridge construction techniques, the disaster itself, the folklore and history of the Mothman, and a good bit more within ten questions. Note to my fantastic new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.QUESTIONS* The Silver Bridge was named for:* Beloved local architect John H. Silver, who was born in Point Pleasant, but died one month before the bridge opened in 1928.* It was the first bridge in the United States to use eyebar chain suspension, a design that relied on a series of metal links (eyebars) to support the structure. Its shiny aluminum paint was innovative for the time, so the locals disregarded its official name.* Both.* We often tell our children that the weakest link in a chain determines its fate. This is also true of the Silver bridge collapse because…* A tiny crack developed in the lower part of eyebar 330 due to stress corrosion cracking. When the crack grew, it caused a sudden brittle fracture of the eyebar, leading to the rapid failure of the suspension chain and the subsequent collapse of the entire bridge. * In 1968, a junior-level bridge inspector noticed the stress on eyebar 330 and reported it to his supervisor. Instead of placing the issue on a list of items to re-inspect, the boss hid the report. Only after the bridge collapsed did the junior inspector come forward, but since he didn’t keep his own copy of the report, and the official copy of the file had been “temporarily misplaced,” the federal inspectors with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wrote him off as a glory seeker until he was vindicated in 1997 when the file was found. * Both.* The eyebar chain system was considered innovative because it used fewer materials compared to traditional suspension cables. Which of the following is true about bridge design? More than one may apply.* The eyebar design's failure mode is non-redundant, meaning that if one key component fails, the entire structure can collapse.* Today, bridges typically use cable-stayed or suspension systems with wire cables, which are more robust and offer multiple lines of support.* Most existing bridges with similar designs to the Silver Bridge have either been retrofitted or replaced to meet modern safety standards. * A cryptid is an animal or creature that is said to exist but has never been proven to do so. Cryptids are often featured in folklore and other accounts, and the list includes Mothman. What other creatures are considered to be cryptids? More than one may apply.* Bigfoot/Sasquatch* The Loch Ness Monster* The Jackalope* The Flatwoods Monster aka “Braxie”* For a year prior to the collapse of the Silver Bridge, the Mothman was sighted in the area, leading to the hypothesis that Mothman either caused or prophesied the accident. Which of the following characteristics were described by people who claimed to see the Mothman? More than one may apply. * Height between 6 to 7 feet with a humanoid form.* Wingspan 10 to 15 feet, resembling those of a bat or bird.* Large, glowing red eyes said to shine or glow in the dark.* The creature’s head seemed small or nonexistent, with the eyes appearing to be set directly into its shoulders or chest area.* What do skeptics of Mothman believe the sightings misidentified? More than one may apply.* Barn owls, barred owls and snowy owls. * Herons, or sandhill cranes.* An extra-dimensional spirit monster heralding the Age of Aquarius.* Richard Gere and Laura Linney starred in a 2002 movie about the Silver Bridge collapse. The Mothman Prophesies is a supernatural thriller about a journalist (Gere) whose wife sees the Mothman before she dies in a car accident. Two years later, he finds himself in Point Pleasant. Were any TV shows/episodes based on the Mothman? If so, name the show(s).* The 2002 movie kicked up interest in the Silver Bridge collapse and all things Mothman. Unveiled a year later, in 2003, Point Pleasant West Virginia, has its own Mothman statue made of stainless steel. How did artist Bob Roach land on the final design? * ...