Packerville Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Packerville Bridge
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Packerville Rd. over Mill Brook, Plainfield, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1886 |
| Architect | Olin, Nathaniel; Baldwin, Isaac J. |
| Architectural style | Masonry arch |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001565 |
| Added to NRHP | November 27, 1992 |
The Packerville Bridge is a special old stone bridge in Plainfield, Connecticut. It carries Packerville Road over a small stream called Mill Brook. This bridge was built way back in 1886.
It's one of only a few stone arch bridges from the 1800s still standing in Connecticut. It shows us how bridges were built a long time ago using stone. Because it's so old and well-preserved, the Packerville Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it's an important historical site!
Contents
What is the Packerville Bridge Like?
The Packerville Bridge is in a quiet, countryside area. It crosses Mill Brook just north of where Packerville Road meets Lowes Way. Right near the bridge, you can still see parts of the old Packerville Dam. This dam was once part of a mill that used to be here when the bridge was built.
How Was the Bridge Built?
This bridge is a type called a masonry arch bridge. This means it's made from stones fitted together to form a strong arch shape. The main arch part is made of carefully cut stones. The sides of the bridge, called spandrels, are made from rougher, unshaped stones.
The bridge's main arch spans about 26 feet (8 meters) across the water. The whole bridge structure is about 31 feet (9.4 meters) long. The road on top is about 20 feet (6 meters) wide. The road itself is also about 20 feet above the water below.
Why Was the Packerville Bridge Built?
The Packerville Bridge was built in 1886. This was after a very big flood that washed away many bridges in the town. People decided to build this new bridge out of stone.
Stone Bridges and Floods
They chose stone because this spot was below a mill dam. Places below dams were thought to be more likely to flood if the dam ever broke. Stone bridges were believed to be much stronger and better able to handle such powerful floods.
The stones used to build the Packerville Bridge came from a quarry near Westerly, Rhode Island. Over the years, the main change to the bridge has been its guard rails. They were originally made of stone but were replaced with metal ones in the 20th century.
Images for kids
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The Packerville Bridge in Plainfield, Connecticut.
