Summary
The Skilton Road Bridge is a historic stone arch bridge, carrying Skilton Road across the Nonewaug River in northwestern Watertown, Connecticut. The bridge was built in 1865–66, and is a rare well-preserved example of a mid-19th century stone bridge. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.[1]
Skilton Road Bridge | |
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| Location | Skilton Rd. over the Nonewaug R., Watertown, Connecticut |
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| Coordinates | 41°37′45″N 73°9′33″W / 41.62917°N 73.15917°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architectural style | Masonry-arch bridge |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001744[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 10, 1991 |
Description and history edit
The Skilton Road Bridge is located in a rural-residential area of northwestern Watertown, spanning the Nonewaug River between Hinman Road and Hickory Lane. The bridge has an overall length of 35 feet (11 m), with a single arch spanning 20 feet (6.1 m). It is made of dry laid local stone, and is built on a stone ledge on one side and a stone abutment on the other. The stones which form the barrel of the arch are roughly worked, while those filling the spandrels show little evidence of work. The arch is a slightly asymmetrical segmented arch, probably due to the difficulties involved in working at the site. The bridge is 16 feet (4.9 m) wide, and carries a single lane of traffic.[2]
The bridge was built either in 1865–66, after the town voted in 1865 to fund its construction; Skilton Road was at the time the major route between Watertown and Bethlehem. Stone, a more expensive construction material than wood, was probably chosen because of its longer lifespan, and because a mill dam just upstream (now breached) whose breach would have caused flooding that would endanger a wooden bridge. This bridge is fairly typical of mid-19th century stone bridges, which were once quite numerous in the state.[2]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b "NRHP nomination for Skilton Road Bridge". National Park Service. Retrieved 2017-03-11.