Casselman Bridge

Casselman River Bridge State Park
Maryland State Park
The bridge's south aspect
Country United States
State Maryland
County Garrett
Elevation 2,113 ft (644 m) [1]
Coordinates 39°41′48″N 79°08′37″W / 39.69667°N 79.14361°W / 39.69667; -79.14361Coordinates: 39°41′48″N 79°08′37″W / 39.69667°N 79.14361°W / 39.69667; -79.14361 [1]
Area 4 acres (2 ha) [2]
Established 1957
Management Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Nearest city Grantsville, Maryland
Location in Maryland
Website: Casselman River Bridge State Park
Casselman's Bridge, National Road
Location East of Grantsville on U.S. Route 40 Alternate, Grantsville, Maryland
Area < 1 acre
Built 1813-1814
Architect Unknown
Architectural style Other
NRHP reference # 66000391
Significant dates
Added to NRHP October 15, 1966
Designated NHL January 29, 1964

The Casselman Bridge is an historic transportation structure located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of Grantsville in Garrett County, Maryland.[3] The bridge was built to carry the National Road across the Casselman River. Historic markers posted at each end read:

Erected 1813 by David Shriver, Jr.,
Sup't of the "Cumberland Road" (The
National Road). This 80 foot span
was the largest stone arch in America
at the time. It was continuously
used from 1813 to 1933.[4]

Since 1957, the structure, which has also been known as Casselmans Bridge, Castleman's Bridge, and Little Crossings Bridge, has been preserved by the state of Maryland as Casselman River Bridge State Park.[5] The bridge was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964,[6] and placed on the National Historic Register in 1966.[7]

History

The 354-foot-long (108 m) stone arch bridge spans 48 feet (15 m) with a 30-foot-high (9.1 m) arch.[8] The bridge was constructed in 1813-1814 to aid in the westward movement through the frontier wilderness west of Cumberland, Maryland. The first wheeled vehicles crossed the bridge in 1815.[9] As a "tidal wave" of western expansion followed the opening of the National Road, Casselman Bridge had heavy traffic that included wagons drawn by 12-horse teams and carrying 10-ton loads.[7] A small portion of the original National Road still exists at the approaches to the bridge.[8]

The bridge was strengthened for motorized traffic in 1911 and continued in service as a highway until 1933, when a modern steel span was built nearby to serve what is now US Route 40 Alternate.[9] In the 1940s and early 1950s, efforts were made to preserve the bridge when sections started to crumble and fall apart. The bridge was closed to vehicles in 1953[10] and partially restored by the state in the mid-1950s.[11] Additional maintenance occurred in 1979, 1996, 2002, and 2012.[12]

Activities and amenities

The state park offers picnicking facilities and fishing opportunities in Casselman River. The bridge is open to foot traffic. Stanton's Mill, which is also on National Register of Historic Places, lies adjacent to the park.[3] The Spruce Forest Artisan Village can be found directly off of the east end of the bridge. Penn Alps Restaurant and The Cornucopia Cafe can be easily accessed through the village.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Casselman Bridge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "Fiscal Year 2016 DNR Owned Lands Acreage" (PDF). Maryland Department of Natural Resources. July 29, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Casselman River Bridge State Park". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Castleman's River Bridge". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  5. ↑ "DNR restricts access to the bridge and the immediate area" (Press release). Maryland Department of Natural Resources. March 6, 2012. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Listing by State: Maryland" (PDF). National Historic Landmarks Program. National Park Service. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  7. 1 2 Joseph Scott Mendinghall, Historian (May 3, 1976). "Casselman Bridge, National Road". National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination. National Park Service. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Casselman Bridge, National Road". National Register Listings in Maryland. Maryland Historic Trust. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Little Crossings Bridge, National Road". Library of Congress. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Repairs scheduled for Casselman River Bridge". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. September 28, 2012. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Casselman River Bridge State Park History". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  12. ↑ Sawyers, Michael A. (June 25, 2012). "No stone left unturned on Casselman Bridge". Cumberland Times-News. Cumberland, Md. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
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