Pequabuck Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pequabuck Bridge
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Meadow Rd. at Pequabuck River, Farmington, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1832–1833 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001049 |
| Added to NRHP | July 19, 1984 |
The Pequabuck Bridge is a really old stone bridge in Farmington, Connecticut. It was built way back in 1833! Today, it's a cool path for walking and biking over the Pequabuck River. This bridge is special because it's one of the few stone bridges from the early 1800s still standing in Connecticut. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, which means it's an important historical landmark.
Contents
What Does the Pequabuck Bridge Look Like?
The Pequabuck Bridge is found in the southern part of Farmington. It's just north of where the modern Meadow Road crosses the Pequabuck River. The river used to flow right under this old bridge. But now, the river has a new path to the east. So, the bridge crosses a channel that sometimes gets wet.
Bridge Design and Materials
This bridge has one big stone arch. The arch is about 22 feet (6.7 meters) wide and 11 feet (3.3 meters) high. It's mostly built from brownstone rubble. This type of stone makes up the main parts of the bridge, like its supports and side walls. The arch itself is made from carefully shaped brownstone pieces called voussoirs. The bridge is about 20 feet (6.1 meters) wide. Earth fills the space above the arch, and a paved surface is on top. This surface is now used by people walking and riding bikes.
History of the Pequabuck Bridge
The Pequabuck Bridge was built between 1832 and 1833. It was first used as a road bridge for Meadow Road. Building a stone bridge was quite unusual for a town back then. Stone bridges cost a lot more money than wooden ones.
Funding and Purpose
The money for this bridge came partly from the people who ran the Farmington Canal. The new stone bridge replaced an older wooden bridge from 1819. That wooden bridge was getting a lot of use and needed to be replaced. The town wanted the new stone bridge to connect to another bridge over the canal. They also wanted it to be the same height. The canal bridge is gone now, and only small parts of the old embankment remain. The Pequabuck Bridge continued to be a road bridge until the second half of the 1900s.
