LAST -- Stone Arch Bridge in Camden County - Cherry Hill, NJ
N 39° 54.685 W 075° 00.261
18S E 499628 N 4417925
Bonnie’s Bridge, the last surviving stone arch bridge in Camden County, dates back to the Revolutionary War. This mid 18th century artifact is located at 350 Wayland Rd., Cherry Hill, in someone's yard!!!
Waymark Code: WM5TCZ
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 02/10/2009
Views: 11
When the British Army left Philadelphia in June 1778, one flank used Bonnie’s Bridge to cross the Cooper River to travel from Haddonfield to Evesham.
Today, you can see the bridge from the sidewalk of the modern bridge built in this mid 20th century neighborhood. The bridge is in the side yard of 350 Wayland Rd. It is very surreal to see this artifact of the War of Independence in the middle of a suburban neighborhood.
If you look at the pictures closely, you will see 20th century brick has been added to reinforce the structural integrity of the arch. This is one of twenty-one national historic sites in Camden County from the Revolutionary War period.
While it is all but impossible to find accurate information as to the origination of this bridge, legend has it that the Quakers and William Penn built this bridge so they might move easier across NJ to more remote, western parts.
Personal Anecdote
I had the opportunity to speak to a couple who own the Samuel Coles House in Cherry Hill (One of our five NRHP sites). The woman (her name escapes me at the moment) told me she knows the lady who discovered the bridge. Her name of course is Bonnie. She now lives in Florida and she promised me the next time she talks to her she would call me with more details. In the mean time, I did speak to some folks who work for Cherry Hill who confirmed this is in fact the last stone arch bridge in our county. I have traveled all over this county waymarking and geocaching and I have never seen anything even remotely like this bridge.