National Road, Wilson Bridge, Spanning Conococheague Creek at Route 40 (Old), Hagerstown vicinity, Washington County, MD

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Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey

2 drawings
17 b&w photos
18 data pages
2 photo caption pages

TITLE:
National Road, Wilson Bridge, Spanning Conococheague Creek at Route 40 (Old), Hagerstown vicinity, Washington County, MD

CALL NUMBER:
HAER MD,22-HAGTO.V,2

REPRODUCTION NUMBER:
[See Call Number]

MEDIUM:
Measured Drawing(s): 2 (24 x 36 in.)
Photo(s): 17 (4 x 5 in.)
Data Page(s): 17 plus cover page
Photo Caption Page(s): 2

DATE:
Documentation compiled after 1968.

CREATOR:
Historic American Engineering Record, creator

NOTE:
Survey number HAER MD-41

Unprocessed field note material exists for this structure (FN-26; N755).

Significance: Wilson Bridge was built in 1819 by Silas Harry as part of an improvement of feeder roads leading to the National Road which began in Cumberland, Maryland and ended in Vandalia, Illinois. Its five stone arches span 215 feet. The bridge was one of few multiple-arch structures on the National Road and was considered one of the finest. The contract price for construction was $9,100 and it took approximately 18 months to complete. Bypassed in 1937 by a new alignment of the road and construction of a three span concrete arch, the bridge continued in local service till 1972. In March 1982, half of the center and an adjacent arch to the west collapsed on the upstream side. The bridge was scheduled for demolition for safety reasons and for the prohibitive costs of rehabilitation estimated to be between $300,000 and $400,000. Following an expression of public concern, the decision was made by the county to rehabilitate the bridge for pedestrian and park purposes.

SUBJECTS:
MARYLAND--Washington County--Hagerstown vicinity
pedestrian bridges
stone bridges
arch bridges

COLLECTION:
Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress)

REPOSITORY:
Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

DIGID:
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.md0834

CONTENTS:
Photograph caption(s):
1. View of S elevation from 1937 Route 40 Bridge approximately 200 feet downstream.
2. Telephoto view of center span of south elevation.
3. 3/4 view of N elevation showing collapsed arch.
4. Closer in view of collapsed arch.
5. Closer in view of collapsed arch.
6. Detail view of collapsed arch.
7. Detailed, telephoto view of collapsed arch
8. Detailed, telephoto view of collapsed arch.
9. Detailed, telephoto view of collapsed pier showing fill material of spandrel.
10. View of bridge roadway, looking W, showing collapsed deck and parapet.
11. View of collapsed roadway looking W.
12. View of collapsed roadway looking W (vertical orientation).
13. View of collapsed roadway looking E.
14. View of collapsed roadway showing infill materials.
15. View of collapsed roadway (vertical orientation).
16. View of damaged parapet wing wall on eastern approach to bridge.
17. View of 1937 concrete-arch bridge that replaced Wilson Bridge looking S.

CONTROL #:
MD0834

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