Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge |
|
|---|---|
A view of the Japanese Bridge looking toward the east
|
|
| Coordinates | 41°03′02″N 72°19′09″W / 41.050456°N 72.319041°W |
| Crosses | Pedestrian crossover from house grounds to Smiths Pond |
| Locale | South Ferry Hills, Shelter Island, New York |
| Heritage status | NRHP landmark |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Reinforced concrete |
| Width | 6ft |
| Longest span | 60ft |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| History | |
| Designer | Ernest L. Ransome |
| Opened | 1900 |
|
Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge
|
|
 Location in New York
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 24 Merkel Lane, Shelter Island, New York |
| NRHP reference No. | 100002080 |
| Added to NRHP | February 2, 2018 |
The Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge is a special bridge located in South Ferry Hills on Shelter Island, New York. It was built around 1900. This bridge is important because it is one of the very first structures in North America made using "reinforced concrete."
An engineer named Ernest L. Ransome designed it. He built it for Francis Marion Smith, a rich businessman known as the "Borax King." The bridge was part of Smith's large estate called 'Presdeleau'. It has a beautiful Japanese style design. Today, the bridge is listed on the New York State and National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical landmark. It is also one of the last two bridges designed by Ernest Ransome that are still standing.
Contents
A Bridge with History
The Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge was part of Francis Smith's big home, 'Presdeleau'. This estate was one of his many properties. Smith had other mansions, including one in Oakland, California.
Who Was Ernest Ransome?
Ernest Ransome was a talented engineer. Between 1895 and 1898, Francis Smith asked Ransome to build this Japanese-style bridge. He also asked for a seawall at the New York estate. Ransome had already built similar bridges out west.
Ransome's Early Bridges
In 1886, Ransome built two small bridges in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. One of these bridges is still there today. These were the first bridges in North America to use reinforced concrete. They were also among the first few in the entire world.
In 1897, Ransome finished building the Pacific Coast Borax Refinery. This was a large factory in Bayonne, New Jersey. After this, Smith had him work on the bridge at Presdeleau. This bridge is 60 feet long and 6 feet wide.
Why Ransome's Concrete Was Special
Ransome became famous for his work on the refinery building. In 1902, the factory caught fire. But the concrete frame of the building was only slightly damaged! This showed that concrete was much stronger than steel or iron in fires.
Ransome also built two other buildings at Stanford University. These buildings used his new concrete style. They survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake with almost no damage. Many buildings around them fell apart. This proved how strong his concrete designs were.
Saving the Bridge
Over 100 years later, the 'Presdeleau' estate was divided and sold. The Japanese bridge needed a lot of repair work.
The Conservancy's Mission
In 2015, a group was formed to help the bridge. It is called the Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge Conservancy. Their goal is to protect and maintain the concrete bridge. They also care for the seawall that goes with it.
The bridge is located in a lagoon called Smiths Pond. This area is now used as a place for boats. The small bridge is right behind the beach at Smith Cove. It looks out over the upper Sag Harbor bay. This area is part of South Ferry Hills.
A National Landmark
In 2017, the bridge was suggested for the state's historic register. Then, in 2018, it was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It is important because of its special construction style. It also plays a big part in the history of Shelter Island.
Gallery
-
Map of Shelter Island in 1906, showing lands owned by Francis Smith
-
Single arch 60 ft (18 m) span Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge
-
The 35-room mansion, Presdeleau, with colonial style columns
- Japanese rock garden – Learn more about zen gardens.
