Samson Occom Bridge - Montville CT
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nomadwillie
N 41° 28.820 W 072° 05.182
18T E 743267 N 4596180
Officially referred to as Bridge Number 1860 in state records, the bridge is commonly known as the "Samson Occom Bridge". Built in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration.
Waymark Code: WM17P71
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 03/18/2023
Views: 0
Officially referred to as Bridge Number 1860 in state records, the bridge is commonly known as the "Samson Occom Bridge". On the south end of the bridge is a wooden sign that commemorates the Christian missionary and educator Samson Occom, a colonial-period Mohegan from Montville, Connecticut.
The stone arch bridge spans 12 feet (3.7 m) across the Shantok Brook, with its arch about 6 feet (1.8 m) over the water. Built in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration, the bridge is constructed of medium-sized fieldstone and laid in cement mortar. The semi-circular arch is constructed with a ring of stones, each about 18 inches (46 cm) deep. Built up by "rubble construction", the structure is made of fieldstone, including the wing walls. Rising above the 16 feet (4.9 m) roadway are the spandrels of the bridge, which form low parapets with ramped ends. The total length of the bridge, including the railings, is about 20 feet (6.1 m) long.
The National Register of Historic Places nomination states that the Samson Occum Bridge is significant as an example of the 1930s public works programs and as an example of "the picturesque park architecture of the early 20th century." It was constructed at a time when cobblestone masonry was a popular choice for state park structures, but also after masonry was considered an obsolete building material. The bridge has added significance as an example of the work conducted by the federal Works Progress Administration.
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