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Philson Bridge

Philson Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Nathan Holth

Bridge Documented: July 6, 2014

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Facility Carried / Feature Intersected
County Bridge Road (TR-713) Over Wills Creek
Location
Rural: Somerset County, Pennsylvania: United States
Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
By Builder/Contractor: Unknown
Rehabilitation Date
1925
Main Span Length
42.0 Feet (12.8 Meters)
Structure Length
43.0 Feet (13.1 Meters)
Roadway Width
10.8 Feet (3.29 Meters)
Spans
1 Main Span(s)
Inventory Number
31874

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
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Bridge Documentation

View Archived National Bridge Inventory Report - Has Additional Details and Evaluation

This is a small pony truss bridge in an extremely rural location. It sits on handsome stone abutments. The truss is noted for its use of built-up floor beams which suggest the bridge is older rather than newer. The bridge almost certainly dates to before 1900, and the built-up floorbeams suggest it could be closer to 1890 than 1900. By 1900, built-up floor beams were fairly uncommon on small highway pony truss bridges. The manner in which the floor beams are rigidly connected to the vertical members is somewhat unusual. The Pittsburgh Bridge Company was noted for doing this, but this truss bridge is not styled in the manner of typical Pittsburgh Bridge Company bridges, so it is not known who built this bridge. Despite the rigid floor beam attachment, no field riveting was done to erect this bridge. Bolts at the ends of the floor beams show where the floor beams were rigidly fastened to the vertical member in the field. The riveted portions were assembled in the shop.

Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge Inventory

Discussion of Bridge

The 43'-long, 3 panel, pin-connected, Pratt pony truss bridge is supported on ashlar abutments with stepped wingwalls. The trusses are traditionally composed, but the design of the lower panel points is not common. Instead of suspending the floor beam from a U-shaped hanger, they are riveted to the bottom of the verticals, which are punched for the pin connection of the eye bar diagonals and lower chords. The verticals are toe out channels with laced webs to accommodate the connection design. The fabricator of the bridge is not documented, but the bridge reflects period thinking about connections and overall economy of material. The bridge appears to be complete and it dates stylistically to 1900 or before. It is a historically and technologically significant as an example of a non-standard design metal truss bridge.

Discussion of Surrounding Area

The bridge carries 1 lane of an unimproved township road over a stream in a sparsely developed, wooded setting approximately 100' south of the Y intersection with TR 377. The area does not have historic district potential. It is in state game lands.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes

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Maps and Links: Philson Bridge

Coordinates (Latitude, Longitude):

Search For Additional Bridge Listings:

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

2021 National Bridge Inventory: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

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