Skinners Falls-Milanville Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Skinners Falls – Milanville Bridge is a bridge
spanning the Delaware River
between Milanville, Pennsylvania
and Skinners Falls, New York in Wayne County, Pennsylvania
and Sullivan County, New York
. The bridge is 470 feet (143.3 m) long and holds one single lane of Skinners Falls Road, a local road. The bridge was constructed by the American Bridge Company
and funded by the Milanville Bridge Company. The bridge replaced a ferry run by raftsman Daniel Skinner and his family. The bridge opened in 1902 and remains in service today. It is one of several bridges in Sullivan County that are on the National Register of Historic Places
, including the Roebling Aqueduct
and Pond Eddy Bridge
.
The idea to construct a bridge in the area did not arise until the 20th Century. In 1900 and 1901, politicians started to feel it was appropriate to build a bridge in the area. A firm, run by Milton L. Skinner, first opened in 1901 to help sell stock, construct the bridge, and then follow it by operating it for the general public. The firm, named the Milanville Bridge Company, was located in the community of Milanville on the Pennsylvania side. At the time the name of the bridge was referred to as the Milanville Bridge, but eventually, locals referred it as the "Skinners Falls Bridge". The corporation received the charter from the state of Pennsylvania
to construct the bridge in the later months of 1901. The firm hired the American Bridge Company
to construct the bridge. Construction did not get far, before an ice flood raised the river to the second story level of Milanville homes. This, along with local opposition, caused a short delay in construction.
Other than local opposition, the company owners for the nearby Narrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge and Cohecton–Damascus Bridge, complained about the competition of a bridge just 3 miles (4.8 km) apart from each. The owners said that the bridge was unnecessary, and the issues eventually reached the state capital of New York, Albany
. The attorney of the Cohecton Bridge, John Anderson, went to the capital to fight the construction of the bridge. The most noticed objection to the companies was that the bridge under construction could only handle one lane of traffic, increasing the necessity of the other two bridges for people in a hurry. Objections decreased with the compromise, and the American Bridge Company finished construction of the bridge in November 1902, the total cost being $14,000.
Just two years after opening, a flood in March 1904 did serious damage to the structure. However, the owners hired the Horseheads Bridge Company, run by the Perkins brothers. They charged $7,000 (1904 USD) to complete repairs of the bridge. With the reopening of the bridge, and along with the newly-constructed Erie Railroad
station, a new revitalization came to Skinners Falls and Milanville, including an acid company, creamery, and a dairy company, which helped raise income for the bridge using the $0.22 toll. One company that could not make it is the Skinners' timber rafting, which had been in business for over 140 years. In 1914, J. Skinner was the new owner, but the company was devastated when one of their timber rafts collided with a Myers family-owned ferryboat, killing four. The blame was placed on the ferry operator. However, along with the tragedy, the lack of riverside forests made it hard for timber rafting to prosper and in 1914, they closed their doors.
and Diane
of 1955 and the 1960s, the bridge survived with little to no structural damage. From May to October 1986, the commission closed the bridge to do some renovations. The wooden deck was replaced, the entire bridge was painted, and new guide rails were constructed. The only thing is that the 3 ton (6000 lb) weight limit remained after the revamping. On November 14, 1988, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
On January 19, 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
shut down access to the Skinners Falls – Milanville Bridge when a truss member of the bridge was found to be defective. The bridge was supposed to undergo rehabilitation of the truss members later in the year for $200,000 (2010 USD) and a larger $8 million (2015 USD) rehabilitation in 2015. Currently, traffic has been diverted to the nearby Narrowsburg-Darbytown Bridge
and Damascus-Cochecton Bridge. The Department of Transportation plans to reopen the old structure in February, once repairs have been made.
As of March 2010, the bridge has been reopened.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
spanning the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
between Milanville, Pennsylvania
Milanville, Pennsylvania
Milanville is an unincorporated community in Damascus Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. Milanville is located along the Delaware River and the New York border north of Narrowsburg, New York....
and Skinners Falls, New York in Wayne County, Pennsylvania
Wayne County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,722 people, 18,350 households, and 12,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 65 people per square mile . There were 30,593 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
and Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
. The bridge is 470 feet (143.3 m) long and holds one single lane of Skinners Falls Road, a local road. The bridge was constructed by the American Bridge Company
American Bridge Company
The American Bridge Company is a privately held civil engineering firm specializing in the construction and renovation of bridges and other large civil engineering projects, founded in 1900, and headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.-Products and industry positioning:The...
and funded by the Milanville Bridge Company. The bridge replaced a ferry run by raftsman Daniel Skinner and his family. The bridge opened in 1902 and remains in service today. It is one of several bridges in Sullivan County that are 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...
, including the Roebling Aqueduct
Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct
-External links:...
and Pond Eddy Bridge
Pond Eddy Bridge
The Pond Eddy Bridge is a petit truss bridge spanning the Delaware River between the hamlet of Pond Eddy in Lumberland, New York and the settlement informally called Pond Eddy in Shohola Township, Pennsylvania. It is accessible from NY 97 in Lumberland on the New York side and two dead-end local...
.
Early history and construction (1764–1902)
In 1764, the crossing from Skinners Falls to Milanville was the location of timber rafting for one of the most prominent families in the area, the Skinners. That year, Daniel Skinner took the first timber raft down the Delaware River. Completing this accomplishment, Skinner received the name "Lord High Admiral", an honor that still stands to this date. The Skinners lived in a place christened as Milanville, but was known more locally as Skinners Falls. Upstream from the falls along the Delaware, another member of the Skinner family, Milton L. Skinner, operated a private ferry across the river between Pennsylvania and New York. Along with his brother, Volney, Milton Skinner also operated a local sawmill in Pennsylvania. For many years, these two rivermen remained prominent in the area.The idea to construct a bridge in the area did not arise until the 20th Century. In 1900 and 1901, politicians started to feel it was appropriate to build a bridge in the area. A firm, run by Milton L. Skinner, first opened in 1901 to help sell stock, construct the bridge, and then follow it by operating it for the general public. The firm, named the Milanville Bridge Company, was located in the community of Milanville on the Pennsylvania side. At the time the name of the bridge was referred to as the Milanville Bridge, but eventually, locals referred it as the "Skinners Falls Bridge". The corporation received the charter from the state 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...
to construct the bridge in the later months of 1901. The firm hired the American Bridge Company
American Bridge Company
The American Bridge Company is a privately held civil engineering firm specializing in the construction and renovation of bridges and other large civil engineering projects, founded in 1900, and headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.-Products and industry positioning:The...
to construct the bridge. Construction did not get far, before an ice flood raised the river to the second story level of Milanville homes. This, along with local opposition, caused a short delay in construction.
Other than local opposition, the company owners for the nearby Narrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge and Cohecton–Damascus Bridge, complained about the competition of a bridge just 3 miles (4.8 km) apart from each. The owners said that the bridge was unnecessary, and the issues eventually reached the state capital of New York, Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. The attorney of the Cohecton Bridge, John Anderson, went to the capital to fight the construction of the bridge. The most noticed objection to the companies was that the bridge under construction could only handle one lane of traffic, increasing the necessity of the other two bridges for people in a hurry. Objections decreased with the compromise, and the American Bridge Company finished construction of the bridge in November 1902, the total cost being $14,000.
Private ownership (1902–1920s)
After construction of the Skinners Falls–Milanville Bridge was completed in late 1902, tolls were immediately charged along the one lane structure. However, unlike the other two bridges, the Skinners Falls–Milanville Bridge cost $0.22 (1902 USD). A person traveling on foot did not have to pay to cross the structure. This decision was different compared to the other bridges, which made it separate. Another decision was that ministers were not tolled so they could better serve their communities. However, when one minister began to abuse the special privilege, he was charged $0.05 for crossing. The tollhouse for collection was in Milanville and was run by the Dexter family.Just two years after opening, a flood in March 1904 did serious damage to the structure. However, the owners hired the Horseheads Bridge Company, run by the Perkins brothers. They charged $7,000 (1904 USD) to complete repairs of the bridge. With the reopening of the bridge, and along with the newly-constructed Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
station, a new revitalization came to Skinners Falls and Milanville, including an acid company, creamery, and a dairy company, which helped raise income for the bridge using the $0.22 toll. One company that could not make it is the Skinners' timber rafting, which had been in business for over 140 years. In 1914, J. Skinner was the new owner, but the company was devastated when one of their timber rafts collided with a Myers family-owned ferryboat, killing four. The blame was placed on the ferry operator. However, along with the tragedy, the lack of riverside forests made it hard for timber rafting to prosper and in 1914, they closed their doors.
Bridge Commission ownership (1920s–present)
With the opening of the New York – Pennsylvania Joint Bridge Commission in the 1920s to buy out these bridges from private ownership, the tolls along the bridges of the Delaware were beginning to come to an end. The Commission offered the Bridge Company an offer of $19,542.22 (1920s USD). The company took the offer and under new ownership, the tolls were eliminated. The bridge had more activity after the elimination of tolls and business continued to prosper. With the new owners, the bridge was kept under routine maintenance, and the bridge has continued to maintain a strong structure. Even with the floods from Hurricanes ConnieHurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie was the first in a series of hurricanes to strike North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. Connie struck as a Category 1, causing major flooding and inflicting extensive damage to the Outer Banks and inland to Raleigh....
and Diane
Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier...
of 1955 and the 1960s, the bridge survived with little to no structural damage. From May to October 1986, the commission closed the bridge to do some renovations. The wooden deck was replaced, the entire bridge was painted, and new guide rails were constructed. The only thing is that the 3 ton (6000 lb) weight limit remained after the revamping. On November 14, 1988, the bridge was added to 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...
.
On January 19, 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Barry Schoch Presently, PennDOT supports over of state roads and highways, about 25,000...
shut down access to the Skinners Falls – Milanville Bridge when a truss member of the bridge was found to be defective. The bridge was supposed to undergo rehabilitation of the truss members later in the year for $200,000 (2010 USD) and a larger $8 million (2015 USD) rehabilitation in 2015. Currently, traffic has been diverted to the nearby Narrowsburg-Darbytown Bridge
Narrowsburg-Darbytown Bridge
The Narrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge spans the Delaware River between Darbytown, Pennsylvania and Narrowsburg, New York. Narrowsburg is located in the town of Tusten, but the hamlet along the river's edge is known as Narrowsburg because it is the narrowest part of the River.In either 1810 or 1830, the...
and Damascus-Cochecton Bridge. The Department of Transportation plans to reopen the old structure in February, once repairs have been made.
As of March 2010, the bridge has been reopened.