The National Road - Pennsylvania - Claysville 'S' Bridge

Just about halfway between Washington and Claysville, where US 40 meets PA Route 221, sits one of the better examples of National Road infrastructure within Pennsylvania. The Claysville 'S' Bridge sits just west of the intersection with PA 221 and is a great piece of the National Road's past.

Looking eastwards at the Claysville 'S' Bridge. (Adam Prince, July 2009)

The stone arch bridge was built between 1815 and 1818 and carried travelers between Washington and Claysville for over a century. The bridge over an unnamed branch of Buffalo Creek is the only stone-arch 'S' bridge along the National Road in Pennsylvania.

Now looking westwards - grass has taken over the old roadway. (Adam Prince; July 2009)

As the automobile era began to develop, the Claysville 'S' Bridge would become obsolete. The National Road and US 40 would be straightened just to the bridges south with a new and much smaller concrete bridge crossing the creek.

The Claysville 'S' Bridge not long after a new straighter alignment of US 40 took its place. The photo above still has pavement along the bridge and the original alignment of US 40. The photo below shows how the bridge was cut to make way for the new alignment of US 40. (A.S. Burns/Library of Congress - 1933)

(A.S. Burns/Library of Congress - 1933)

That then 'new' US 40 bridge would be replaced in 2009. Though abandoned from automobile use - the 'S' bridge was preserved as a roadside park which it remains to this day. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and remains a popular stop for locals and tourists following the highway.

By the mid-century, the 'S' bridge had become a roadside park complete with picnic tables. The old road bed is now entirely grass. (Image courtesy cardcow.com)

Detail of the stone arches. (Adam Prince, July 2009)

Site Navigation:

Sources & Links:

Claysville S Bridge ---Bridgehunter.com
This post is brought to you by the letter 'S' ---Jim Grey
Mile 106 - S Bridge ---Explore US 40
Claysville S Bridge @ Route40.Net ---Frank Brusca
Cardcow.com
US 40 @ PAHighways.com ---Jeff Kitsko

Comments

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California. Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada. The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926. Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938. A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947. Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association. Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe. Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works during its Centennial Edition. The or...

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80. This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range. The first documented wagon crossi...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush. The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway. In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50. The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County. That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848. During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog