The Oldest Survivors

Seventy-one iron bridges from the golden age still stand. They are mostly combination bridges, made of both cast and wrought iron. Here are all seventy-one arranged geographically and listed with their designers and, where indicated, builders. ( NOTE : Several of the bridges listed are privately owned. Owner’s consent should be secured before venturing onto private property.)

New England
• 1. Upper Pacific Mills Bridge (1864). North Canal, Lawrence, Mass. Thomas Moseley. Moseley Iron Building Works, Boston, builder.
• 2. Atherton Bridge (1870). Bolton Road over Nashua River, Lancaster, Mass. Simeon S. Post. J. H. Cofrode & Company, Philadelphia, builder.
• 3. Elm Street Bridge (1870). Elm Street over Ottauquechee River, Woodstock, Vt. Charles H. Parker. National Bridge & Iron Works, Boston, builder.
• 4. (Lower) Rollstone Street Bridge (1870). Fitchburg, Mass. Charles H. Parker. National Bridge & Iron Works, Boston, builder.
• 5. Vine Street Bridge (c. 1870). Vine Street over Central Vermont Railroad, Northfield, Vt. Charles H. Parker. National Bridge & Iron Works, Boston, builder.
• 6. North Village Bridge (1871). North Main Street over French (Stoney) River, Webster, Mass. Charles H. Parker. National Bridge & Iron Works, Boston, builder.
• 7. Ponakin Bridge (1871). Ponakin Road over North Nashua River, Lancaster, Mass. Simeon S. Post. Watson Manufacturing Co., Paterson, N.J., builder.
• 8. Riverside Avenue Bridge (1871). Riverside Avenue over Amtrak Northeast Corridor, Riverside, Conn. Francis C. Lowthorp. Keystone Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., builder.
• 9. Pine Creek Park (Mine Hill Road) Bridge (1872). Old Dam Road, Fairfield, Conn. Jacob H. Linville. Keystone Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., builder.
• 10. Tilton Island Park Bridge (1881). Pedestrian access to Tilton Island Park over Winnipesaukee River, Tilton, N.H. Lucius Truesdell. A. D. Briggs & Company, Springfield, Mass., builder.

New York
• 1. Whipple Cast- & Wrought-Iron Bowstring Truss Bridge (1851). Chili Mills. Squire Whippie.
• 2. Change (Aldrich’s Crossover) Bridge (1858). Palmyra.
• 3. Whipple Cast- & Wrought-Iron Pony Pratt Truss Bridge (c. 1860). Private-access bridge over Gulf Stream to private residence adjacent to N.Y. Route 51, south of Ilion.
• 4-8. Central Park bridges, New York City: (a) Pine Bank Arch (1861), (b) Bow Bridge (1862), (c) Gothic Arch (1864), (d) Reservoir Bridge Southwest (1864), (e) Reservoir Bridge Southeast (1865). All: Calvert Vaux and J. Wrey Mould.
• 9. Whipple Cast & Wrought-Iron Bowstring Truss Bridge (1867). Private road over unnamed stream that leads into the Normans Kill farm, Albany. Squire Whipple. Simon DeGraff, builder.
• 10. Cayadutta Creek Bridge (c. 1869). Moved in 1979 from Johnstown to Union College campus, Schenectady. Squire Whipple. Shipman & Son, Springfield Center, builder.
• 11. Second Cayadutta Bridge (c. 1869). Spanning Cayadutta Creek, Fonda. Squire Whipple, builder.
• 12. Shaw Bridge (1870). Van Wyck Lane (formerly Old Albany Post Road), over Claverack Creek, near N.Y. Route 9H, Claverack. Squire Whipple. J. D. Hutchinson, builder.
• 13. Parker Truss Bridge (c. 1870). St. Lawrence County. Charles H. Parker. National Bridge & Iron Works, Boston, builder.
• 14. Talcottville Bridge (c. 1870). Talcottville. Squire Whipple.
• 15. Watkins Glen Bridge (c. 1870). Park footpath over gorge, Watkins Glen State Park. John L. Foreman, builder.
• 16. Tioronda Bridge (1873). South Avenue over Fishkill Creek, Beacon. Glass, Schneider & Rezner, builder.
• 17. Upper Keeseville Bridge (1878). River Street over Ausable River, Keeseville. S. W. Murray. Murray, Dougal & Co., Milton, Pa., builder.

Pennsylvania
• 1. Dunlap Creek Bridge (1839). Old U.S. Route 40 over Dunlap Creek, Brownsville. Richard Delafield, engineer. John Snowden and John Herbertson, foundrymen.
• 2. Halls-Station Bridge (Philadelphia & Reading Railroad) (c. 1846). Private road over Conrail tracks, Muncy. Richard B. Osborne.
• 3. Main Street Bridge (1851, 1874). Formerly Main Street over French Creek, Phoenixville; moved to Chester County Park.
• 4-6. Haupt truss bridges (Pennsylvania Railroad) (all c. 1854): (a) Railroaders’ Memorial Museum, Altoona, (b) Spring Mill Road over the Main Line, Villanova, (c) Church Road over the Main Line, Ardmore. All: Herman Haupt. Altoona shops, Pennsylvania Railroad, builder.
• 7. Walnut Street Bridge (c. 1860). Formerly spanning Saucon Creek, Hellertown; removed to a nearby field. Charles N. Beckel. Beckel Iron Foundry & Machine Shop, builder.
• 8. Hares Hill Road Bridge (1869). Hares Hill Road over French Creek, Kimberton. Thomas Moseley. Moseley Iron Bridge Sc Roof Co., Philadelphia, builder.
• 9. Henszey’s Wrought-Iron Arch Bridge (1869). Kings Road over Ontelaunee Creek, Wanamakers. Joseph G. Henszey. Continental Bridge Company, Philadelphia, builder.
• 10. Rush’s Mill Bridge (1869). Union Canal bicycle and walking trail over Plum Creek near Blue Marsh Lake, Reading vicinity. Simon Dreibelbies, builder.
• 11. Old Mill Road Bridge (1870). Old Mill Road over Saucon Creek, Hellertown. Charles N. Beckel. Beckel Iron Foundry & Machine Shop, Bethlehem, builder.
• 12. City Line Road Bridge (1870). Moved to Sand Island, Bethlehem. Charles N. Beckel. Beckel Iron Foundry & Machine Shop, Bethlehem, builder.
• 13. Stewartstown Railroad Bridge (1870). Over Valley Road, Stewartstown. Jacob H. Linville. Keystone Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, builder.
• 14. Youngsville Airport Bridge (c. 1870). Airport Road over Brokenstraw Creek, Youngsville. Squire Whipple.
• 15. Bollman Bridge (B&O Railroad) (1871). Township Route 516 over Pittsburgh Branch, Meyersdale. Wendel Bollman. Patapsco Bridge & Iron Works, Baltimore, Md., builder.
• 16. Mead Avenue Bridge (1871, rebuilt 1937). Mead Avenue over French Creek, Meadville. Penn Bridge Works, New Brighton, builder.
• 17. Scarlets Mill Bridge (1881). Scarlets Mill. John L. Foreman. Pottstown shops, Reading Railroad, builder.
• 18. Tank Farm Road Bridge (1881). Moved from Tank Farm Road over Conrail tracks, Macungie, to Hugh Moore Historical Park & Canal Museum, Easton. John L. Foreman. Pottstown shops, Reading Railroad, builder.

Middle Atlantic
• 1. Manayunk Bridge (Philadelphia & Reading Railroad) (1845). National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Richard B. Osborne.
• 2. Rock Creek Bridge (Washington Aqueduct) (1860). Pennsylvania Avenue and Washington Aqueduct over Rock Creek, Washington, D.C. Montgomery C. Meigs.
• 3. Musconetcong River Bridge (1868). Unidentified road over Musconetcong River, New Hampton, N.J. William and Charles Cowin. Cowin Iron Works, Lambertville, N.J., builder.
• 4. Bollman Truss Bridge (B&O Railroad) (c. 1869). Abandoned B&O spur over Litde Patuxent River, Savage, Md. Wendel Bollman. Patapsco Bridge & Iron Works, Baltimore, Md., builder.
• 5. School Street Bridge (1870). School Street over Spruce Run, Glen Gardner, N.J. William and Charles Cowin. Cowin Iron Works, Lambertville, N.J., builder.
• 6. West Main Street Bridge (1870). West Main Street over South Branch of Raritan River, Clinton, N.J. William and Charles Cowin. Cowin Iron Works, Lambertville, N.J., builder.
• 7. Lombard Street Bridge (1877). Streetcar Museum, Baltimore, Md. James Curran, Baltimore Water Dept., and Wendel Bollman. Patapsco Bridge Sc Iron Works, Baltimore, Md., builder.

Ohio
• 1. Davenport Truss Bridge (1859). Oak Knoll Park, Massillon. Joseph Davenport. Russell Bridge Co., Massillon, builder.
• 2. Blackhoof Street (Moulton Angle Road) Bridge (1864). Over Miami and Erie Canal, Lions Club Park, New Bremen. David H. Morrison. Columbia Bridge Co., Dayton, builder.
• 3. Zoarville Station Bridge (1868). Abandoned Ohio Route 212, Zoarville vicinity. Charles Shaler Smith. Smith, Latrobe & Co., Baltimore, Md., builder.
• 4. Laymon Road Bridge (1871, 1991). WiImington. Joseph Davenport. Massillon Bridge Co., builder.
• 5. County Engineer’s Garage Bridge (1872). South Market Street over Beaver Creek, Lisbon. Joseph Davenport. Massillon Bridge Co., builder.
• 6. Roderick Bridge (1872). Coshocton vicinity. Squire Whipple and James W. Shipman. Coshocton Iron Works, builder.
• 7. Falling Rock Camp Bridge (c. 1872). Newark vicinity; similar to bridge built by the Cleveland Bridge & Car Works, NcNairy. Claflen & Company, proprietors.
• 8. Towpath footbridge (c. 1872). Over Ohio and Erie Canal at Uppermost Triple Lock, Roscoe Village, Coshocton.
• 9. Sockman Road Bridge (1873). Fredericktown vicinity. Joseph Davenport. Russell Bridge Co., Massillon, builder.
• 10. Howard Bridge (1874). Abandoned County Route 35 over Kokosing River, Howard. David H. and Charles C. Morrison. Columbia Bridge Co., Dayton, builder.
• 11. Egypt Pike Bridge (1877). New Holland. Jonathan and Zimri Wall. Champion Iron Bridge Co., Wilmington, builder.

Midwest
• 1. Cloie Branch Bridge (1868). Moved from road over Cloie Branch to bicycle path, Dubuque County, Iowa. Jacob H. Linville. Keystone Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., builder.
• 2. White Water Creek Bridge (1868). Unidentified road over White Water Creek, Dubuque County, Iowa. Jacob H. Linville. Keystone Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., builder.
• 3. Eureka Wrought-Iron Bowstring Arch-Rod Bridge (1874). Formerly in Frankville, Iowa; moved to city park, Castalia, Iowa. William H. Allen and Oliver H. Perry. Allen, McEvoy & Co., Beloit, Wis., builder.
• 4. Burton Lane Bridge (c. 1875). Old Burton Lane (County Route 189) over Indian Creek, Martinsville, Ind. Joseph Davenport. Massillon Bridge Co., Massillon, Ohio, builder.
• 5. Paint Creek Bridge (c. 1875). County Route 25 over Paint Creek, near Camden, Ind. Joseph Davenport. Massillon Bridge Co., Massillon, Ohio, builder.
• 6. Hardin City Bridge (1879). Displayed alongside county road, Eldora vicinity, Iowa. Western Bridge Works, Fort Wayne, Ind., builder.

South and West
• 1. Fairground Street Bridge (c. 1870). Fairground Street over Illinois Central Railroad, Vicksburg, Miss. Jacob H. Linville. Keystone Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., builder.
• 2. Kassler Bridge (c. 1870). Moved from Kassler, Colo., to unidentified road over South Platte River, Bailey, Colo. Jacob H. Linville. Keystone Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., builder.