In March 2010 the new "Blue" Bridge on the East end of the Town of Bramwell was dedicated in memory and honor of two Bramwell pioneers, Livio Yon and Mauro Peraldo. The original "Blue" Bridge crossed the Bluestone River toward Bramwell High School from downtown Bramwell and was painted blue. It is one of three bridges in Historic Bramwell that crosses the horseshoe bend in Bluestone River.
This original bridge crossed the Bluestone River on the West side of the Town of Bramwell. It's design was "Pony Truss" and was like that of the Duhring Bridge (Kate Hewitt Memorial Bridge) that crosses the Bluestone River on the North side of the town. The bridge consisted of four simple riveted and bolted steel pony truss spans (SSPT) and is supported at each end and middle by full-height reinforced concrete pier. It is named after two of Bramwell's most respected citizens. Another bridge that crosses the Bluestone River on the East side of the Town of Bramwell is the Phoebe Goodwill Memorial Bridge and is a more modern bridge that was built in the early 1950s. It is located at East the end of Block Street.
The original bridge as shown below was built in 1930 by the Virginia Bridge and Iron Works Company. The bridge was constructed of two rivited pony truss spans and supported at the ends and middle by stone mason abutments. The original bridge was 136 feet, 7 inches long and had a road width of 15 feet, 2 inches. The original "Blue" Bridge bridge was renamed in 2010 to honor the memory of two Bramwell pioneers, Livio Yon and Mauro Peraldo. The folllowing are two photographs of the original "Blue" Bridge.
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( Below photograoh/text from Bluefield DailyTelegraph.)
LEO CARL PERALDO
Leo Peraldo was five years old when he came to Bramwell in 1913 from his native Piedicavallo, Italy. His Bramwell house was built in 1926 on a foundation of bluestone, laid by Italian stonecutters. Mr. Peraldo lived his life out in historic Bramwell and was well known in the community.
Mr. Leo Carl Peraldo, 94, of 127 Bluestone Avenue (PO Box 246), Bramwell, died on Monday, Nov. 25, 2002, at his residence. He was born on Oct. 10, 1908, in Italy, he was a son of Mauro and Maurillia Yon Sotta Peraldo. He was the last surviving member of his family. He had been a resident of Bramwell for 89 years and was a member of the Bramwell Presbyterian Church. He was a graduate of Bramwell High School and obtained additional musical training in New York. He was a retired violin teacher.
Leo Carl Peraldo Family Members (Find-A-Grave) :
LIVIO YON & WIFE CRISTINIA BERNARDO YON
Immigrants: Livio Yon and wife, Cristina. Livio was a stonemason in Historic Bramwell.
Livio Yon, 89, of Box 181, Bramwell, died Monday, October 17, 1983, in a Bluefield hospital after a long illness. Born May 7, 1894 in Piedicavallo, Italy, he was son of Carlo and Marianna Yon. He had been a resident of Bramwell for 62 years. He was a retired stone mason. A member of the Bramwell Masonic Lodge 45, he had just received his 50-year pin. He was of the Protestant failth.
He was preceded by his wife, Cristina Bernardo Yon in March of this year. Survivors include one son, Harry Yon of Mt. Zion, IL; two daughters, Mrs. Clifton (Eva) Hill of Bramwell and Mrs. Charles (Alma) Murphy of Lorton Lick Road, Bluefield; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Christina Yon.
Fueral services will be conducted Thursday at 1 p.m. at Cravens Shires Chapel in Bluewell with Dr. C. H. Patterson officiating. Entombment will be in Woodlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum in Bluewell.
Friends may call at the funeral home Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m.
Graveside rites will be conducted by members of the Bramwell Masonic Lodge 45 who also will serve as pallbearers.
Published October 18, 1983 in Bluefield Daily Telegraph.
INFORMATION ON PIONEERS LIVIO YON & WIFE, CRISTINIA YON'S FAMILY
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Photographs of the new Yon-Peraldo Memorial Bridge taken in December 2016.
Mary Beth Eckerson, respresenting U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; Erik Neville from the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin; Division Administrator Edward Stephen of the Federal Highway Division; World War II veteran Joe Vinciguerra; Bramwell Mayor Louise Stoker; Randy Damron of the WVDOT Communications Office; Susan Pierce of the W.Va. Division of Culture and History; and Jordan Maynor representing U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va. joined together Wednesday to cut the ribbon on the Yon-Peraldo Bridge, one of two new bridge in the town of Bramwell.
BDT Staff photo by: Greg Jordan
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Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 28-20/5- 0.07, located in Mercer County, the "Yon-Peraldo Memorial Bridge":
Whereas, Mauro Peraldo and Livio Yon were natives of Piedicavallo, Italy; and
Whereas, Mauro Peraldo and Livio Yon learned the stonemason trade as apprentices during their childhood; and whereas, Mauro Peraldo and Livio Yon settled in Bramwell, West Virginia, when they arrived from Italy; and whereas, Mauro Peraldo and Livio Yon, with a crew of at least 20 stonemasons, built grand structures, foundations, stone walls, cemetery walls and reservoirs; and
Whereas, Mauro Peraldo and Livio Yon's artistic work remains as a treasured legacy for the people in the 21st Century to appreciate; and
Whereas, it is fitting, to honor the memory of Mauro Peraldo and Livio Yon, by naming bridge number 28-20/50.07, located in Mercer County, the "Yon-Peraldo Memorial Bridge";
Therefore, be it Resolved by the West Virginia Legislature: That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways name bridge number 28-20/5-0.07, located in Mercer County, the "Yon-Peraldo Memorial Bridge";
and, be it Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the "Yon-Peraldo Memorial Bridge";
and, be it Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.
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HISTORIC BRAMWELL BRIDGES
