Elm Street Stone Arch Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Elm Street Stone Arch Bridge is located along that street in Pine Hill
, New York, United States. It is a short bridge built over Alton Creek in the early 20th century using stonemasonry
techniques and an arch bridge
design that had been employed in the Catskills
since the 18th century, one. As one of the few extant and intact bridges in that style in the region, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1996 along with the nearby Mill Street Stone Arch Bridge
.
The bridge is located along Elm Street approximately 250 feet (76.2 m) north of Pine Hill's Main Street. The stonework is still in place along the west side; a modern culvert carries the creek out the east side. A short distance to the north along Elm are the Morton Memorial Library
and the former District School No. 14
, now home to the Shandaken Historical Society, both also listed on the Register.
Structurally, the bridge is a 12-foot–long (4 m) arch
6 feet (2 m) above the creek level, carrying the paved street. It is built of locally quarried stone using rough voussoir
s with a central keystone
, anchored in abutment
s of larger stone courses dressed to allow for tight mortar
joints. The spandrel
walls are of random coursed stone mortared in place.
In 1897 the Shandaken
Town Board approved the construction of the two bridges in Pine Hill. Three years later it hired local mason
Matthew G. Thompson to build the bridge for $208 ($ in contemporary dollars). He employed construction techniques dating to the early 18th century, in which the abutments were built first on a small span, followed by a temporary wooden centering to support the arch. Its interior would be filled with earth or stone, and often waterproofed
with coal tar or mortar on the inside of the stonework. On the exterior joints
packed as tightly as possible prior to mortaring. The centering would be left in place until the mortar had completely set, which could take weeks.
It is not known when Thompson completed the bridge. It has remained intact and unaltered since its original construction, and is currently maintained by the town.
Pine Hill, New York
Pine Hill is a hamlet in the western part of the town of Shandaken in Ulster County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 308.- History :...
, New York, United States. It is a short bridge built over Alton Creek in the early 20th century using stonemasonry
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
techniques and an arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
design that had been employed in the Catskills
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
since the 18th century, one. As one of the few extant and intact bridges in that style in the region, it 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...
in 1996 along with the nearby Mill Street Stone Arch Bridge
Mill Street Stone Arch Bridge
The Mill Street Stone Arch Bridge is located on that street in Pine Hill, New York, United States. It is a small bridge over a local creek built around the turn of the 20th century. It is one of two stone arch bridges in the former village built by local stonemason Matthew G. Thompson...
.
The bridge is located along Elm Street approximately 250 feet (76.2 m) north of Pine Hill's Main Street. The stonework is still in place along the west side; a modern culvert carries the creek out the east side. A short distance to the north along Elm are the Morton Memorial Library
Morton Memorial Library (Pine Hill, New York)
Morton Memorial Library is located on Elm Street in Pine Hill, New York, United States. It is a stone building in the Georgian Revival architectural style built at the beginning of the 20th century....
and the former District School No. 14
District School No. 14
The former District School No. 14 building is located on Academy Street in Pine Hill, New York, United States. It is a concrete-sided frame building erected in the mid-1920s....
, now home to the Shandaken Historical Society, both also listed on the Register.
Structurally, the bridge is a 12-foot–long (4 m) arch
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
6 feet (2 m) above the creek level, carrying the paved street. It is built of locally quarried stone using rough voussoir
Voussoir
A voussoir is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, used in building an arch or vault.Although each unit in an arch or vault is a voussoir, two units are of distinct functional importance: the keystone and the springer. The keystone is the center stone or masonry unit at the apex of an arch. A...
s with a central keystone
Keystone (architecture)
A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone piece at the apex of a masonry vault or arch, which is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight. This makes a keystone very important structurally...
, anchored in abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s of larger stone courses dressed to allow for tight mortar
Mortar (masonry)
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
joints. The spandrel
Spandrel
A spandrel, less often spandril or splaundrel, is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure....
walls are of random coursed stone mortared in place.
In 1897 the Shandaken
Shandaken, New York
Shandaken is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,235. The name is from a native phrase for "land of rapid waters."...
Town Board approved the construction of the two bridges in Pine Hill. Three years later it hired local mason
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
Matthew G. Thompson to build the bridge for $208 ($ in contemporary dollars). He employed construction techniques dating to the early 18th century, in which the abutments were built first on a small span, followed by a temporary wooden centering to support the arch. Its interior would be filled with earth or stone, and often waterproofed
Waterproofing
Waterproof or water-resistant describes objects relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environments or under water to specified depths...
with coal tar or mortar on the inside of the stonework. On the exterior joints
Joint (building)
A building joint is a junction where building elements meet without applying a static load from one element to another. When one or more of these vertical or horizontal elements that meet are required by the local building code to have a fire-resistance rating, the resulting opening that makes up...
packed as tightly as possible prior to mortaring. The centering would be left in place until the mortar had completely set, which could take weeks.
It is not known when Thompson completed the bridge. It has remained intact and unaltered since its original construction, and is currently maintained by the town.
See also
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Ulster County, New York