Albert Gallatin Memorial Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Albert Gallatin Memorial Bridge (also known as the Point Marion Bridge) was a truss bridge that carried vehicular traffic across the Monongahela River
in the southwestern part of the U.S. state
of Pennsylvania
. Built in 1930 to replace a ferry, it connected Point Marion
in Fayette County
and Dunkard Township in Greene County
. It was named in honor of U.S. Senator, and longtime U.S. Treasury Secretary and diplomat Albert Gallatin
, whose Friendship Hill homestead is nearby.
It was a historically significant bridge due to the relatively unusual cantilever
truss design and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the second oldest bridge of this type in the state.
It was replaced by the new Point Marion Bridge in October 2009. The old bridge was imploded on November 16, 2009.
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
in the southwestern part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Built in 1930 to replace a ferry, it connected Point Marion
Point Marion, Pennsylvania
Point Marion is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,333 at the 2000 census. It is served by the Albert Gallatin Area School District.Point Marion is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Cheat Rivers...
in Fayette County
Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and Dunkard Township in Greene County
Greene County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,672 people, 15,060 households, and 10,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
. It was named in honor of U.S. Senator, and longtime U.S. Treasury Secretary and diplomat Albert Gallatin
Albert Gallatin
Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was a Swiss-American ethnologist, linguist, politician, diplomat, congressman, and the longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 1831, he founded the University of the City of New York...
, whose Friendship Hill homestead is nearby.
History
The original bridge was constructed in 1930 by the Point Marion Bridge Company and rehabilitated in 1976.It was a historically significant bridge due to the relatively unusual cantilever
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
truss design and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the second oldest bridge of this type in the state.
It was replaced by the new Point Marion Bridge in October 2009. The old bridge was imploded on November 16, 2009.