G-II-C-307 River Road Bridge over Casselman River (Bridge No. G-109, Casselman River Road Pratt Truss Bridge)
Architectural Survey File
This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse- chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation such as photographs and maps.
Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment.
All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust.
Last Updated: 05-26-2017 INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY/DISTRICT MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST INTERNAL NR-ELIGIBILITY REVIEW FORM
Property/District Name: River Road Bridge Survey Nl.llber: G-II-C-307
Project: River Rd over Casselman River Garrett County Agency: USDA/Garrett Co.
Site visit by MHT Staff: .JL no yes Name Date
Eligibility reconmended _x_ Eligibility not reconmended
Criteria: .JLA _B _c _D Considerations: _A _B _c _D _E _F _G _None
Justification for decision: (Use continuation sheet if necessary and attach map)
Under criteria A, the River Road Bridge derives its significance from its association with the development of transportation in Garrett County. A single span, pin connected, Pratt ,...... i:,rough truss, the bridge was constructed c. 1890 or 1900. Metal truss bridges represent an :c·rtant step in engineering design and a uniquely American ach i evement, the result of intensive experimentation in the 19th century. These bridges were the most popular form of bridge construction in Maryland between the 1870s and the 1930s.
Large nl.llbers of these relatively easily and cheaply bui Lt structures were constructed to span small crossings, greatly facilitating vehicular movement and cormunication throughout the developing county. According to Wal lace, Montgomery & Associates and the State Highway Administration, the Casselman River Bridge is one of only four remaining metal through truss bridges in Garrett County. One of these four, the Glendale Road Bridge over Deep Creek Lake is slated for demolition. The Corona Bayard Road Bridge over North Branch Potomac River, the only bridge comparable in size and structural type to the River Road Bridge, is in poor condition and is closed to pedestrian traffic. The River Road Bridge is thus an increasingly rare exa°"le of the modest sort of structure which was once a common element of the rural landscape.
Docllllentation on the property/district is presented in=~-I~n~v~e~n~t~o~rv._~~-F~o~r~m"-~G~-~I~I_-~C--3~0~7'-~~~-
Pro·ect File
Prepared by: Donna Ware
Elizabeth Hannold Septent>er 22. 1992 Reviewer, Office of Preservation Services Date ,,,,,. NR program C9Act.1rrence:.. yes no not applicable 1 L 7 ·. /) ' -:.·' 01 - \ vf\ _J/(., 1;; ~J~ ! Survey No. G-ll l-C-307 MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN DATA - HISTORIC CONTEXT I. Geographic Region: Eastern Shore Call Eastern Shore counties, and Cecil> Western Shore (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George's and St. Mary's} Piednont (Baltimore City, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery) _x_ Western Maryland (Allegany, Garrett and Washington) I I. Chronological/Developmental Periods: Paleo-Indian 10000-7500 B.C. Early Archaic 7500-6000 B.C. Middle Archaic 6000-4000 B.C. Late Archaic 4000-2000 B.C. Early Woodland 2000-500 B.C. Middle Woodland 500 B.C. - A.O. 900 Late Woodland/Archaic A.O. 900-1600 Contact and Settlement A.O. 1570-1750 Rural Agrarian Intensification A.O. 1680-1815 __x_ Agricultural-Industrial Transition A.O. 1815-1870 Industrial/Urban Dominance A.O. 1870-1930 Modern Period A.O. 1930-Present Unknown Period prehistoric historic) 11 I. Prehistoric Period Themes: IV. Historic Period Themes: Subsistence Agriculture Settlement Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Coornuni ty Planning Political Economic CComnercial and Industrial) Demographic Government/Law Religion Military Technology Religion Envirol'lllental Adaption Social/Educational/Cultural _x_ Transportation v. Resource Type: Category: Structure Historic Environment: Transportation Historic Function(s) and Use(s): Bridge Known Desi gn Source: Unknown MARYLAND INVENTORY OF IDSTORIC BRIDGES MHT No. G-II-C-307 HISTORIC BRIDGE INVENTORY MARYLAND STATE IDGHWAY ADMINISTRATION/ MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST SHA Bridge No. G-109 Bridge name __Ri_._ve_r_R_o_a_d_o_v_e_r_C~a~s~se~l_m~an~Ri~ ·~v~er~---- LOCATION: Street/Road name and number [facility carried] -=Ri=·v""'"e=r'""'R'""o""'a""'d"------ City/town -~G=r~an=t=s~v1=·11=e______Vicinity _X=-=-- County -~G=a=rr~e~tt~------This bridge projects over: Road Railway__ Water --1L. Land Ownership: State ____ County _x_ Municipal Other ______ HISTORIC STATUS: Is bridge located within a designated historic district? Yes No X National Register-listed district __ National Register-determined-eligible district __ Locally-designated district Other------ Name of district ------BRIDGE TYPE: Timber Bridge ___. Beam Bridge ____ Truss -Covered Trestle Timber-And-Concrete Stone Arch Bridge _ Metal Truss Bridge _x Movable Bridge __: Swing ______Bascule Single Leaf __ Bascule Multiple Leaf_ Vertical Lift Retractile______Pontoon ______ Metal Girder --~ Rolled Girder ___ Rolled Girder Concrete Encased ______Plate Girder ____ Plate Girder Concrete Encased ____ Metal Suspension __ Metal Arch Metal Cantilever Concrete __ Concrete Arch__ _ Concrete Slab__ _ Concrete Beam Rigid Frame ___ Other ____ Type Name ______G-J[- c -3t>l DESCRIPTION: Describe Setting: Bridge G-109 carries River Road over the Casselman River in a north/south direction near Grantsville, Maryland. The Casselman River flows west/east. The area is rural and heavily vegetated. There is no development in the immediate vicinity of the bridge. Describe Superstructure and Substructure: This structure is a single-lane, single-span, Pratt through-truss. The truss is comprised of five panels and has a total bridge length of 83 feet. The clear roadway width is 9.4 feet. The top chord is constructed of back to back channels, a riveted top cover plate, and batten plates on the bottom. The bottom chord is constructed of eye bars. The verticals, to which the floorbeams are attached, are composed of angles and lattice bars while the diagonals are constructed of eye bars. The I-shaped floorbeams support the deck. The floor system is also supported by longitudinal I-shaped stringers which are supported by the transverse floorbeams. The portal and other top bracing between the trusses is comprised of angles. All member and joint connections are of pinned construction. The deck consists of timber planks which are attached to the steel stringers. The bridge railings are steel and are attached to the roadway side of the trusses. The substructure consists of cut stone masonry block abutments. Discuss Major Alterations: U-bolts and wire rope have been installed at some panel points of the bottom chord for reinforcement. IDSTORY: WHEN was bridge built (actual date or date range) c.1890-1900 This date is: Actual Estimated --=X'-=---- Source of date: Plaque Design plans ___ County bridge files/inspection form X Other (specify) State inventory form WHY was bridge built? To provide a reliable crossing of River Road over the Casselman River, to meet local transportation needs. WHO was the designer ------ WHO was the builder ------ WHY was bridge altered? [check N/A __x_if not applicable] ------ Was bridge built as part of organized bridge-building campaign? Yes No X SURVEYOR/IDSTORIAN ANALYSIS: This bridge may have National Register significance for its association with: A - Events X B- Person ____ C- Engineering/architectural character _x__ In 1992 this bridge was declared eligible for National Register listing by the Maryland Historical Trust under Criterion A for its connection with the development of transportation in Garrett County. It might additionally be eligible for its engineering/architectural character under Criterion C. Was bridge constructed in response to significant events in Maryland or local history? No_ Yes_x_ If yes, what event? This bridge was one of a large number of metal truss bridges erected in Maryland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These bridges, which were stronger and more reliable than the majority of their predecessors, were part of a major advance in bridge technology in Maryland and throughout the nation in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. When the bridge was built and/or given a major alteration, did it have a significant impact on the growth & development of the area? No Yes-=-X=------ Because of their solidity, metal truss bridges such as the River Road bridge provided reliable crossings, largely free from the dangers of floods and other disasters that regularly destroyed many of their predecessors. By assuring travelers that River Road could be safely and reliably passed throughout the year, this bridge promoted small-scale residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial development along the road and other thoroughfares that fed into it. Though their impacts were quite localized, bridges such as this, taken en masse, were an important factor in the development of rural areas throughout the state. Is the bridge located in an area which may be eligible for historic designation? No_K_ Yes __ Would the bridge add to __or detract from historic & visual character of the possible district? Is the bridge a significant example of its type? No Yes --=X=--- Between 1840 and the Civil War, under the impetus of a rapidly expanding railroad system, the majority of early American metal truss bridge forms were patented and introduced. In Maryland, the earliest metal truss bridges carried rail lines, which required their great strength and reliability. From the War through the end of the century, metal truss technology was improved, steel began to replace iron, and the use of trusses was expanded to carry roads as well as rail lines. Numerous metal truss bridges were erected in Baltimore, the original hub of the metal truss in the state, from the 1850s through the 1880s. From Baltimore, the use of the metal truss spread out to other parts of the state, particularly the Piedmont and Appalachian Plateau. Many bridge and iron works were established in the eastern United States to design and fabricate truss members, which were then shipped to sites in Maryland and elsewhere to be erected. More than 15 different bridge companies located in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, and Indiana are known to have shipped metal truss bridges to sites throughout Maryland. Bridges were first fabricated in Maryland, and shipped to sites within the state and beyond, by the companies of seminal bridge designer Wendel Bollman. Early in the twentieth century, concrete bridges began to compete with metal truss bridges throughout the state at small to moderate crossings. With the development of uniform standards for concrete bridges by the State Roads Commission in the 191 Os, the construction of smaller metal truss bridges significantly declined throughout the state. The metal truss still remained the bridge of choice for large crossings, however. In the 1920s, heavier members began to be used at these bridges. Reflecting even heavier load requirements and increased lengths, metal truss bridges erected in the state in the 1930s and 1940s were heavy and solid, rather than light and delicate like their late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century predecessors. Numerous Pratt truss bridges were erected throughout the country between 1844, when the type was patented by Thomas and Caleb Pratt, and the early twentieth century. The Pratt has diagonals extended across one panel in tension and verticals in compression, except for hip verticals immediately adjacent to the inclined end posts of the bridge. The large majority ofMaryland=s surviving metal truss bridges are Pratts, built as through or pony trusses either riveted or pin-connected. This bridge was erected during one of the three key periods (1840-1860, 1860-1900, and 1900-1960) of bridge construction in Maryland. Built between around 1890 and 1900, it falls within the period 1860- 1900. During this era, steel began to completely replace iron, and the metal truss became popular at highways as well as railroads. Bridges erected during this period were characterized by relatively delicate members. Does bridge retain integrity [in terms of National Register] of important elements described in Context Addendum? No Yes X G-JI- C-3o1 Is bridge a significant example of work of manufacturer, designer and/or engineer? No_ Yes Neither manufacturer, designer, nor engineer has been identified for this bridge. Should bridge be given further study before significance analysis is made? No _x Yes ___ This bridge has already been determined eligible for National Register listing under Criterion A by the Maryland Historical Trust. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bridge inspection reports and files of the Garrett County engineer's office. County survey files of the Maryland Historical Trust. Jackson, Donald H. Great American Bridges and Dams. Washington, D.C: The Preservation Press, 1968 P.A.C. Spero & Company and Louis Berger & Associates, Inc. Historic Bridges in Maryland: Historic Context Report. Prepared for the Maryland State Highway Administration, September, 1994. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Historic Highway Bridges in Pennsylvania. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1986. State inventory form G-II-C-307 SURVEYOR/SURVEY INFORMATION: Date bridge recorded -=l/-=2=6/-""9-=-5 __ Name of surveyor David King/Marvin Brown Organization/Address GREINER, INC., 2219 York Road, Suite 200, Timonium, Maryland 21093- 3111 Phone number 410-561-0100 FAX number 410-561-1150 ..~··· ·:.....: GARRETT COUNTY ~ () 0 \ I G-Il-C-307 Casselman River Road Pratt Truss Bridge Grantsville circa 1890 Private It is a single span, steel, pin and riveted connected Pratt through truss bridge. The bridge has a wooden deck and rests on cut stone block piers. The Casselman River Road Pratt Truss Bridge is of some regional importance because there are few metal through truss bridges located within Garrett County. G-II-C-307 MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST MAGI 111206045617 ML INVENTORY FORM FOR STATE HISTORIC SITES SURVEY HISTORIC AND/OR COMMON Casselman River Rd. Pratt Trus:;Bridge EILOCATION STREET & NUMBER Casselman River Rd. CITY. TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6.'th Grantsville VICINITY OF STATE COUNTY Maryland Garre'' County DcLASSIFICATION CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS PRESENT USE _DISTRICT ~UBLIC ~CCU PIED _AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM _BUILDING(S) _PRIVATE _UNOCCUPIED _COMMERCIAL _PARK ..t{sTRUCTURE _BOTH _WORK IN PROGRESS _EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE _SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS _OBJECT _IN PROCESS _YES: RESTRICTED _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _BEING CONSIDERED ~YES: UNRESTRICTED _INDUSTRIAL ~TRANSPORTATION _NO _MILITARY _OTHER DOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Telephone #: ~TREET & NUMBER CITY. TOWN STATE 1 Zl.p C~-- _ VICINITY OF 0LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Liber #: COURTHOUSE Folio *: REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC Garre'' County Courthouse STREET & NUMBER Third and Alder Streets CITY. TOWN STATE Oakland Maryland 21550 l!I REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE None DATE _FEDERAL -5TATE _COUNTY _LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN STATE B DESCRIPTION G-1[- C-sOl CONDITION CHECK ONE CHECK ONE _EXCELLENT _DETERIORATED &NALTERED &RIGINAL SITE ~GOOD _ RUINS _ALTERED _MOVED DATE ____ _FAIR _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE This bridge carries the Casselman River Road traffic over the Casselman River. It is a single span, steel, pin and riveted connected Pratt through truss bridge. The bridge has a wooden deck and rests on cut stone block piers. · CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY G-JI--C-301 II SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _PREHISTORIC --ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC _COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _RELIGION _1400-1499 --ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION _LAW _SCIENCE _1500-1599 --AGRICULTURJ; _ECONOMICS _LITERATURE _SCULPTURE _1600-1699 __ARCHITECTURE _EDUCATION _MILITARY _SQCIAUHUMANITARiAN _1700-1799 __ART ~ENGINEERING _MUSIC _THEATER 1'1 800- 1899 _COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY ~RANSPORTATION _1900- _COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY __ POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _OTHER (SPECIFY! _lNVENTION SPECIFIC DATES circa 1890 BUILDER/ ARGH ITECT STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Pratt truss bridge is a common bridge type in America~ The Pratt form dates back to the 1840s, but surviving examples of this type ususally date from the turn of the centruy.l Although a common type in America, there are few metal through truss bridges located within Garrett County, making the Casselman River Road Pratt Truss Bridge of some regional importance. 1 Doanld C. Jackson and Allan T. Comp, "Bridge Truss Types: A Guide to Dating and Identifying," History News, Vol. 32, No. 5, May 1977, Technical Leaflet 95. CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY IJMAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Donald C. Jackson and Allan T. Comp, "Bridge Truss Types: A Guide to Dating and Identifying," History News, Vol. 32, No. 5, May 1977 Technical Leaflet 95. CONTINUE ON SE~,AW\TE SHEET If NECESS~Y II!JGEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY------ VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE COUNTY STATE COUNTY mFORM PREPARED BY NAME i TITLE Donna Ware, Historian ORGANIZATION DATE Maryland Historical Trust/Bureau of Mines December 1981 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE Shaw House. 21 State Circle (301) 269-2438 CITY OR TOWN STATE Annapolis Maryland 21401 The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature, to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 Supplement. The Survey and Inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringe ment of individual property rights. RETURN TO: Maryland Historical Trust The Shaw House, 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 267-1438 PS• I IOS Grantsville, MD-PA Site #: G-II-C-307 USGS 7.5 minute series Casselman River Road Pratt Truss Bridge Scale - 1:24,000 Casselman River Road 1947; photorevised 1974 Grantsville G-II-C-307 Casselman River Rd Pratt Truss Bridge Garrett County, MD M. Stinson 1981 Looking NW G II-C-307 Casselman River Rd Pratt Truss Bridge Garrett County, MD M. Stinson 1981 SW side