Granite Keystone Bridge
| Granite Keystone Bridge | |||
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| National Register of Historic Places | |||
 Granite Keystone Bridge |
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| location | Rockport , Massachusetts , United States | ||
| Coordinates | 42 ° 40 '0.7 " N , 70 ° 37' 31" W | ||
| Built | 1872 | ||
| architect | Jonathan Pratt | ||
| Architectural style | Arch bridge | ||
| NRHP number | 81000117 | ||
| The NRHP added | August 27, 1981 | ||
The Granite Keystone Bridge , also known for short as the Granite Bridge , is a historic arched bridge in Rockport , Massachusetts . Built in 1872, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 1981 .
description
The Granite Keystone Bridge is made up of a single stone arch. This measures about 19.80 meters in length and 9.80 meters in width. The bridge was built using granite stones from the Rockport quarries that operated in the 19th century. Massachusetts Route 127, which is called Granite Street in Rockport, runs over the bridge .
history
In the 19th century, Rockport was known for its granite quarries. The flat-ledge quarry was one of the largest facilities . From here the granite stones were transported to the port in ox carts and shipped from there. Due to the growth of the quarries, the port facilities were expanded by the Rockport Granite Company in the mid-19th century . In the 1860s there were calls for the stones to be transported to the port facilities more quickly. The Rockport Granite Company decided to create an incision under Granite Street through which the stones would be transported by railroad cars. In 1868 the excavation of the artificial valley began. The old road was removed in the spring of 1872, and construction of the bridge began on August 1 of that year under the direction of Jonathan Pratt. Construction of the Granite Keystone Bridge was completed within eleven weeks.
The bridge was considered one of the largest of its kind in Massachusetts when it was completed. Above all, the “graceful, pleasing construction” of the building was emphasized. The Cape Ann Advertiser wrote after the bridge opened:
"It will stand unharmed by the ravages of time and centuries hence, when the enterprising traveler shall explore the ruins along this coast, he will pause and wonder at this symmetrical structure, and when it was built, and what unknown race constructed it."
"It [the bridge] will from now on withstand the devastation of centuries to come unscathed, and once a daring traveler explores the ruins along this coast, he will linger here, marveling at this symmetrical structure, and wondering when and by which unknown race." this structure was built. "
The Rockport Granite Company used the railroad tracks under the bridge until it was disbanded in the 1930s. Then the track system was dismantled, today a dirt road leads under the Granite Keystone Bridge.
See also
literature
- Wendy Frontiero, Lura H. Phillips: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. ( PDF ) National Park Service , May 11, 1981, accessed on October 23, 2017 (English, accessible via the NR button ).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ John Hardy Wright: Gloucester and Rockport . Arcadia Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0-7385-3911-2 , pp. 106 ff . (English, limited preview in Google Book Search).
- ↑ Granite Keystone Bridge: Record Cover Page. ( PDF ) National Park Service, accessed on October 23, 2017 (English, accessible via the INV button ).
- ^ Leslie D. Bartlett: As Time Slips By Below the Keystone Bridge. Cape Ann Granite, March 22, 2014, accessed October 23, 2017 .