20 Historical Bridges in Tompkins County, NY Preview

1

Former Halseyville Covered Bridge

Altered. The original Halseyville covered bridge was built over Taughannock Creek in 1833, along with a new mill, after the original mill and log bridge were destroyed by a flood, one of several highly destructive floods recorded for this area over the years. It was later replaced by this concrete bridge, near the historic Halsey House, which bears a marker which reads:Halsey House,Route 96, Halseyville.Home of pioneers of 1808, Nicoll and Euphias McDowell Halsey. Built in 1829. First mill built nearby in 1809; flood destroyed the mill and log bridge. A new mill, covered bridge was erected in 1833, and replaced in 1928, mill was lost in the 1935 flood.http://nytompki.org/cemeteries/halsey_farm_plot.htmhttp://tcpl.org/local-history/documents/ithaca-tc/Scrapbook/Scrapbook_pt03.pdf

2

Taughannock Rail Bridge

Altered. This former railroad bridge over Taughannock Creek near Trumansburg is now part of the Black Diamond walking trail, part of Tompkins County’s rails-to-trails program. The Black Diamond Trail runs along the former route of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, taking its name from the railroad’s Black Diamond Express which ran between Buffalo and New York City until 1959. The rails-to-trails program repurposes unused railroad lines, turning them into public walking trails.http://www.traillink.com/trail/black-diamond-trail.aspxhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trails_in_Ithaca,_New_York

3

Ridge Road Bridge

Preserved.This 502-foot steel arch bridge is unusual for its length, especially for having been built in 1930. Located in Ludlowville (Lansing), this bridge crosses Salmon Creek near Cayuga Lake. It was closed for two weeks near the end of 2015 while some of its steel beams were repaired.http://literock973.com/news/025520-bridge-repairs-force-detours-on-34b-in-lansing/

4

Morrell Road Bridge

Preserved.Built in 1920, this Warren pony truss bridge was updated in 1987 to include modern guardrails along its full length. The main structure, however, is intact, preserving this bridge’s historic status. The Morrell Road Bridge crosses Pony Hollow Creek east of Alpine Junction.http://www.city-data.com/bridges/bridges-Newfield-New-York.html#321018http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/morrell/

5

Beach Road Bridge

Preserved.Originally built over the West Branch of Cayuga Inlet in 1873 by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, this bridge was reconstructed in 2003, significantly altering the underlying structure. The new bridge is longer and narrower than the original, with updated flooring and redesigned abutments. The bridge does, however, still feature the original historic bowstring trusses, attached to the outside of the new bridge.http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/newfield/

6

Newfield Covered Bridge

Preserved.This is the only remaining covered bridge in Tompkins County, one of approximately 25 in the state of New York, and the oldest covered bridge still open daily for vehicles. It was built by Samuel Hamm & Sons, David Dassance, and Patchen Parsons in 1853 on the site of a log bridge that may have been built as early as 1812. This bridge was built over the West Branch of the Cayuga Inlet entirely by hand, including hand-turned wooden pins called trunnels (tree nails), in a style known as Town Lattice Truss.Covered bridges were common in the time of wooden bridges. It was more cost efficient to replace a roof than to rebuild an entire bridge. It has been reconstructed twice, once in 1972 by Milton Graton and again in 1998. One of the 1972 updates included notching the entrance to allow for taller vehicles to enter the bridge. Other improvements included updated landscaping and cutting the diamond-shaped windows to allow more light to enter.http://www.nycoveredbridges.org/newfield/http://newfieldhistoricalsociety.org/html/bridge.html

7

Old Sandbank Road Bridge

Preserved.King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio built this wrought iron bridge in 1881. It has been structurally updated so it is now supported from underneath by beams, but the original deck trusses remain intact. This bridge crosses Buttermilk Creek and overlooks Buttermilk Falls at the entrance to Buttermilk Falls State Park.http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/oldsandbank/

8

King Road Bridge

Preserved.This stone arch bridge has carried traffic through Buttermilk State Park and over Buttermilk Creek since it was built in 1929. It appears to have been built using local stone, and is attractive as well as functional. It can also be reached by foot using one of the park’s walking trails.http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/king/

9

German Cross Road Bridge

Altered. This bridge over Six Mile Creek, a Pratt pony truss, was built by the Groton Bridge Company of Groton, NY in 1877, its first year of operation. It was replaced by a non-descript, purely functional bridge in 1983 after the original became structurally unsound.https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/bridgedata/repository/TompkinsBridgeData.pdfhttp://historicbridges.org/info/thurber_groton_bridge_company.pdf

10

Cayuga Street Bridge

Preserved.This 1934 bridge over Fall Creek near Ithaca High School features a Warren Pony Truss design common in the early 20th century, but rarely seen in new bridges today. This bridge was rehabilitated in 2002, preserving it faithfully to its original condition.http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/cayuga/

11

Stewart Avenue Bridge

Preserved. Built in 1951, this is the most recent of our historic bridge collection. It is noteworthy due to its deck truss design, rare in this part of the state. Recently rehabilitated, this bridge retains its historic structure and significance. Located in downtown Ithaca, it provides gorgeous views of Fall Creek and Ithaca Falls. http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/stewart/

12

Forest Home Bridge (West)

Preserved.The oldest Warren Pony Truss bridge in Tompkins County, this bridge is now supported by steel beams. The visible trusses maintain the historic appearance of the original bridge, even though they no longer serve a structural purpose. This bridge crosses Fall Creek, and was built by the Groton Bridge Company.http://fhia.org/history/http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/foresthome2/

13

Forest Home Bridge (East)

Preserved.Built across Fall Creek in 1909 by the Groton Bridge Company of Groton, NY, this is the oldest steel through-truss bridge in Tompkins County. The double-intersection Warren truss bridge was more commonly used by the Owego Bridge Company of Owego, NY, and is not often seen in Groton Bridges.http://fhia.org/history/http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/foresthome1/

14

Freese Bridge

Preserved. This 1920 bridge over Fall Creek in Varna, believed to have been built by the Groton Bridge Company, replaces an earlier Groton Bridge from 1878. Its 161-foot length, requiring an additional supporting pier in its center, is Tompkins County’s longest metal truss bridge. Apparently, this pin-connected truss design is quite rare, with this being one of the few examples of this construction in New York State.http://livingindryden.org/2004/05/freese_road_bridge.html ( David Weinstein)http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/freese/

15

Rt. 366 Bridge

Preserved. This Warren pony truss bridge, built over Fall Creek in 1932, is in continuous use today. Its traditional green coloring helps to indicate its historic nature, as this color and construction method are not seen in contemporary designs.http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/ny366/

16

Red Mills Bridge

Preserved. This bridge is extremely rare, a unique example of a continuous multi-span pony truss structure, the only one of its kind in the state of New York. Built over Fall Creek in 1887 by the Groton Bridge Company of Groton NY, this historic bridge is scheduled to be replaced in 2016, despite the efforts of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Local business and emergency vehicles require a more substantial, two-lane bridge in this location, and construction has already been delayed for more than a decade while the SHPO has attempted to secure funding to have this bridge preserved or moved.http://tompkinscountyny.gov/highway/bridgeupdthttp://www.ithaca.com/news/not-all-legislators-get-rural-needs/article_fb0111b6-01a2-11e6-ae7c-e76b2a5a7c9c.htmlhttp://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/redmills/

17

Malloryville Road Bridge

Preserved. The Good Roads Machinery Company of Marathon, NY built this bridge over Fall Creek in 1915, which was last updated in 1973. This bridge is an example of the Warren pony truss, a design seen in many bridges built in that era. This bridge has seen a significant increase in wear since the closing of the nearby Red Mill Road bridge, and is scheduled for reconstruction in 2016 or 2017.http://tompkinscountyny.gov/highway/bridgeupdthttp://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/malloryville/

18

Cemetery Lane Bridge

Preserved. Built over Fall Creek in 1915, this Warren Pony Truss bridge is still in use today. Bridge floor beam replacement was completed in January 2016, due to deterioration from aging since its last update in 1972.http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/cemeterylane/

19

Nubia Bridge

Preserved. Built from railroad rails and metal rods in 1877, this bowstring truss bridge was the first of its kind, resulting in two new patents. Designers Oliver Avery, Jr. and Caleb Bartholomew used this design to help launch the Groton Bridge Company in Groton, NY which went on to become a worldwide supplier of metal truss bridges. This is the only surviving Avery/Bartholomew patent bridge.This bridge, originally crossing Fall Creek on Elm Street Extension near Nubia, now stands near the Town of Groton Building in Groton, NY.http://historicbridges.org/info/thurber_groton_bridge_company.pdfWilliam P. Chamberlin, PE, Schenectady, NY, Historic American Engineering Record,http://historicbridges.org/newyork/nubia/ny1760data.pdf

20

Groton City Bridge

Altered.The original pony truss bridge in this location, built in the late 19th century, succumbed to age and was replaced, first by a temporary “Bailey” bridge, and now by a more modern bridge, currently under construction. The construction company attempted to remove the original bridge intact, in order to preserve it for historical purposes, but the bridge collapsed, unable to withstand the move.Groton Town Clerk’s officehttp://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newyork/grotoncity/