Elm Street Stone Arch Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elm Street Stone Arch Bridge |
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Bridge in 2008
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| Coordinates | 42°8′0″N 74°28′46″W / 42.13333°N 74.47944°W |
| Carries | Elm Street |
| Crosses | Alton Creek |
| Locale | Pine Hill, NY, USA |
| Maintained by | Town of Shandaken |
| Heritage status | NRHP# 96001437 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Stone arch bridge |
| Material | Stone |
| Total length | 12 feet (3.7 m) |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| Clearance below | 6 feet (1.8 m) |
| History | |
| Designer | Matthew G. Thompson |
| Constructed by | Matthew G. Thompson |
| Construction begin | 1900 |
The Elm Street Stone Arch Bridge is a cool old bridge in Pine Hill, New York, USA. It crosses over Alton Creek. This bridge was built a long time ago, in the early 1900s. It uses special stone-building methods that have been around since the 1700s! This bridge is important because it's one of the few bridges like it that are still standing and in great shape in the Catskills area. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. It's also part of the Pine Hill Historic District.
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Where is the Elm Street Bridge?
The Elm Street Stone Arch Bridge is found on Elm Street. It's about 250 feet (76 meters) north of Pine Hill's Main Street. The original stone walls are still strong on the west side. A newer pipe, called a culvert, now carries the creek on the east side.
Nearby Historic Places
If you go a short distance north on Elm Street, you'll find other historic buildings. These include the Morton Memorial Library. There's also the old District School No. 14, which is now home to the Shandaken Historical Society. Both of these buildings are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
How Was the Bridge Built?
This bridge is 12 feet (4 meters) long. It stands 6 feet (2 meters) above the creek. It carries the paved Elm Street road. The bridge is made from local stone. It uses a special design called an arch bridge.
Stone Arch Design
The bridge uses rough, wedge-shaped stones called voussoirs. These stones fit together tightly. A special stone in the middle, called a keystone, locks the arch in place. The ends of the arch, called abutments, are made of bigger stones. These stones are carefully shaped to fit together with very little mortar (a type of cement). The walls above the arch, called spandrel walls, are made of random stones held together with mortar.
Who Built the Bridge?
In 1897, the Town of Shandaken Board decided to build two bridges in Pine Hill. Three years later, in 1900, they hired a local stone builder named Matthew G. Thompson. He built the Elm Street Bridge for $208.
Building Techniques
Matthew G. Thompson used building methods that were very old, going back to the early 1700s. First, the abutments (the supports at each end) were built. Then, a temporary wooden frame, called a centering, was put up to hold the arch stones in place while they were being built. The inside of the arch was filled with earth or stone. Sometimes, it was made waterproof with coal tar or mortar. The outside joints were packed very tightly before mortar was added. The wooden centering stayed in place until the mortar was completely dry, which could take several weeks.
It's not known exactly when Thompson finished the bridge. But it has stayed strong and unchanged since it was built. The town of Shandaken still takes care of it today.
