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Coordinates: 42°28′52″N 71°41′07″W / 42.48111°N 71.68528°W / 42.48111; -71.68528
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{{Infobox NRHP
{{Infobox_nrhp | name =Ponakin Bridge
| name = Ponakin Bridge
| nrhp_type =
| nrhp_type =
⚫
| image = Ponakin Bridge.jpg
| caption = Ponakin Bridge, 1979
| image = Ponakin Bridge.jpg
⚫
| caption = Ponakin Bridge, 1979
| nearest_city= [[Lancaster, Massachusetts]]
| location = [[Nashua River]] between Ponakin Road and [[Massachusetts Route 70|MA 70]], [[Lancaster, Massachusetts]]
| lat_degrees = 42
| coordinates = {{coord|42|28|52|N|71|41|07|W|display=inline,title}}
| lat_minutes = 28
⚫
| locmapin = Massachusetts#USA
| lat_seconds = 52
| area = less than one acre
| lat_direction = N
| built = {{start date|1871}}
| long_degrees = 71
⚫
| architect = Watson Manufacturing Co.
| long_minutes = 41
⚫
| architecture = Post truss
| long_seconds = 9
⚫
| added = September 10, 1979
| long_direction = W
| refnum = 79000378<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2008a}}</ref>
⚫
| locmapin = Massachusetts
| area =
| built =1871
⚫
| architect= Watson Manufacturing Co.
⚫
| architecture= Other
⚫
| added = [[September 10]], [[1979]]
| governing_body = Local
| refnum=79000378
<ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
}}
}}


The '''Ponakin Bridge''' is a historic Post truss bridge spanning the [[Nashua River]] in northern [[Lancaster, Massachusetts]]. The bridge was built in 1871, and originally carried the main north–south road (now Ponakin Road), which was bypassed by the construction of [[Massachusetts Route 70]].<ref name=NRHP>{{cite web|url=https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=lan.900|title=NRHP nomination for Ponakin Bridge|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|access-date=2014-03-31}}</ref> It is now unsafe and closed even to pedestrians. The bridge, with a design once common but now extremely rare, was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1979.<ref name="nris"/>
'''Ponakin Bridge''' is a historic bridge in [[Lancaster, Massachusetts]].

==Description and history==
The Ponakin Bridge is located in a rural setting several miles north of the village center of Lancaster, spanning the Nashua River in a roughly east–west orientation between [[Massachusetts Route 70]] and Ponakin Road, a dead-end residential street paralleling the river's west bank. The bridge trusses consist of eight paneled sections with a total span of {{convert|100|ft|m}} and a width of {{convert|20|ft|m}}. It rests on granite stone abutments formed out of rough-cut stone {{convert|20|ft|m}} long. The decking consists of a base of cross timbers which are attached to the trusses, with wood stringers, then transverse cross timbers, and finally three inch deck planking. The truss panels have pinned end diagonals that are under compression, diagonal bars spanning two panels under tension.<ref name=NRHP/>

[[Image:LancasterMA PonakinBridge 5.jpg|thumb|left|The bridge in 2012]]
The bridge was built in 1871 for town by the Watson Manufacturing Company of [[Paterson, New Jersey]]. It was built at a location where wooden bridges had stood since the 17th century, on the major road leading north from Lancaster. The route was bypassed by the present alignment of Route 70 in 1965. The bridge design was patented about 1866 by Simon S. Post, and was one of the major bridge forms used in developing the national railroad network, including major crossings such as that of the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] over the [[Missouri River]].<ref name=NRHP/> The bridge deck is now compromised, and the bridge has been closed to all forms of traffic.


The bridge was built in 1871 and added to the National Historic Register in 1979.
==See also==
==See also==
*[[Atherton Bridge]]
*[[List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Massachusetts]]
*[[List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts]]
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]


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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
{{Registered Historic Places}}
*{{HAER |survey=MA-13 |id=ma1172 |title=Ponakin Road Bridge, Spanning Nashua River on Ponakin Road, Lancaster, Worcester County, MA |photos=19 |dwgs=6 |data=25 |cap=2}}

{{commons category}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts}}


[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Bridges in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Bridges in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lancaster, Massachusetts]]
{{WorcesterMA-NRHP-stub}}
[[Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Truss bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Metal bridges in the United States]]

Latest revision as of 17:55, 22 June 2024

Ponakin Bridge
Ponakin Bridge, 1979
Ponakin Bridge is located in Massachusetts
Ponakin Bridge
Ponakin Bridge is located in the United States
Ponakin Bridge
LocationNashua River between Ponakin Road and MA 70, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°28′52″N 71°41′07″W / 42.48111°N 71.68528°W / 42.48111; -71.68528
Arealess than one acre
Built1871 (1871)
ArchitectWatson Manufacturing Co.
Architectural stylePost truss
NRHP reference No.79000378[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 10, 1979

The Ponakin Bridge is a historic Post truss bridge spanning the Nashua River in northern Lancaster, Massachusetts. The bridge was built in 1871, and originally carried the main north–south road (now Ponakin Road), which was bypassed by the construction of Massachusetts Route 70.[2] It is now unsafe and closed even to pedestrians. The bridge, with a design once common but now extremely rare, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[1]

Description and history

[edit]

The Ponakin Bridge is located in a rural setting several miles north of the village center of Lancaster, spanning the Nashua River in a roughly east–west orientation between Massachusetts Route 70 and Ponakin Road, a dead-end residential street paralleling the river's west bank. The bridge trusses consist of eight paneled sections with a total span of 100 feet (30 m) and a width of 20 feet (6.1 m). It rests on granite stone abutments formed out of rough-cut stone 20 feet (6.1 m) long. The decking consists of a base of cross timbers which are attached to the trusses, with wood stringers, then transverse cross timbers, and finally three inch deck planking. The truss panels have pinned end diagonals that are under compression, diagonal bars spanning two panels under tension.[2]

The bridge in 2012

The bridge was built in 1871 for town by the Watson Manufacturing Company of Paterson, New Jersey. It was built at a location where wooden bridges had stood since the 17th century, on the major road leading north from Lancaster. The route was bypassed by the present alignment of Route 70 in 1965. The bridge design was patented about 1866 by Simon S. Post, and was one of the major bridge forms used in developing the national railroad network, including major crossings such as that of the Union Pacific Railroad over the Missouri River.[2] The bridge deck is now compromised, and the bridge has been closed to all forms of traffic.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "NRHP nomination for Ponakin Bridge". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
[edit]
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