Paul's Bridge is a stone bridge carrying the Neponset Valley Parkway over the

Neponset River The Neponset River is a river in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. Its headwaters are at the Neponset Reservoir in Foxborough, near Gillette Stadium. From there, the Neponset meanders generally northeast for about to its mouth at ...

between Milton and southern

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. It was built in 1849 by Thomas Hollis, Jr., of Milton, but was later reconstructed using the original materials. It replaced the earlier Hubbard's Bridge (built prior to 1759), and a subsequent Paul's Bridge (so named at its 1807 reconstruction). Its current span is approximately . The name "Paul" can be attributed to Samuel Paul, the owner of the adjacent land on the Readville (now Boston) side, which was part of Dedham at the time of the bridge's construction. The 1849 bridge was long and wide, and was constructed of unmortared Quincy granite. Each round arch measures at the springline. The area between the arches is uncoursed rubblestone, and the arches are formed out of cut granite

voussoir A voussoir ( UK: ; US: ) is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, which is used in building an arch or vault.“Voussoir, N., Pronunciation.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/7553486115. Acces ...

s. The bridge underwent a major rebuilding between 1932 and 1935 under the leadership of Arthur A. Shurcliff, FASLA and founder of the AIP, who made it a priority to widen the bridge. Most of the original stone was reused and solid stone parapets replaced the wooden side rails. Instead of a rubblestone finish between the arches on the extended side, it is finished in coursed stone.National Register of Historic Places Inventory- Nomination Form, (1972). Paul's Bridge was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1972, and contributes to a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...

encompassing the Neponset River Parkway. It is located within the Neponset River Reservation, and is maintained by the

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. Th ...

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Bridges completed in 1849 Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Bridges in Boston Bridges over the Neponset River Bridges in Norfolk County, Massachusetts Milton, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Milton, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Boston Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts 1849 establishments in Massachusetts Stone arch bridges in the United States

See also

References