Drake Hill Road Bridge - 1892 - Simsbury, Connecticut
Posted by: BruceS
N 41° 52.130 W 072° 47.993
18T E 682587 N 4637553
Historic truss bridge built in 1892 formerly used as a road bridge now converted to pedestrian use over the Farmington River in Simsbury, Connecticut.
Waymark Code: WMC5PY
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 07/28/2011
Views: 7
"Drake Hill Road Bridge, erected in 1892, is a pin-connected Parker through truss. Wrought iron, cast iron and steel comprise the various members that make up the trusses, and the abutments are brownstone. The bridge is located about one-quarter mile south of Simsbury center. Drake Hill Road runs west to east, from present-day Route 10, which is Simsbury center's main street, to Riverside Road, which runs along the east bank of the Farmington River. This bridge [formerly] carried Drake Hill Road over the Farmington River. The bridge stands in a residential area of 19th-century and early 20th-century houses.
The bridge spans 183 feet and carries a 12-foot-wide roadway; the bottom of the bridge is 18 feet over the river bottom. Each side of the bridge has twelve panels, including the two triangle-shaped end panels." - National Register Nomination
In 1995 the bridge was converted to pedestrian use and is decorated with flowers in planter boxes and hanging baskets. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. There is a parking lot at the west end of the bridge to allow safe access to the bridge.