The Stone Bridge was a

bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or ...

built in 1907 in

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but i ...

that carried

RI 138 Route 138 is a numbered State Highway running in Rhode Island. It is the longest state numbered route in Rhode Island, and the second longest highway after U.S. Route 1 in Rhode Island, US 1. Route 138 begins in Exeter, Rhode Island, Exeter at ...

over the

Sakonnet River The Sakonnet River is a tidal strait in the state of Rhode Island which flows approximately 14 miles between Mount Hope Bay and Rhode Island Sound. It separates Aquidneck Island from the eastern portion of Newport County. Crossings Below is a ...

between

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...

and Tiverton. It was severely damaged by

Hurricane Carol Hurricane Carol was among the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island in the United States. It developed from a tropical wave near the Bahamas on August 25, 1954, and slowly strengthened as it ...

in 1954, and replaced in 1956 by the

Sakonnet River Bridge The Sakonnet River Bridge is a four-lane bridge spanning the Sakonnet River in eastern Rhode Island. The bridge carries RI 24 and RI 138 between the communities of Portsmouth and Tiverton, Rhode Island. The current bridge is a box girder bridg ...

, which was under construction at the time of the hurricane, located 0.8 mi (1.3 km) to the north. The span was closed to marine traffic after the

hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depe ...

. After inspection, it was decided to close the bridge to bus and truck traffic on January 13, 1955. It was then closed to all vehicles on January 18, 1955. Pedestrians were allowed to walk across. Repairs were made and the bridge reopened to all traffic on March 3, 1955. It remained in service until the opening of the Sakonnet River Bridge in 1956.

History

According to the Federal Writer's Project:

A ferry was established in 1640 at this point, probably the first regular ferry to be commissioned in Rhode Island. It was locally referred to as Howland's Ferry, but was also called Pocasset Ferry, Sanford's Ferry and Wanton's Ferry. It was run by the Howland family from about 1703 to 1776. The ferry-right was sold to the Rhode Island Bridge Company in 1794, and a wooden bridge was built and opened the next year, though it was not steadily in use until 1810. The present steel bridge was constructed by the State in 1907.''Rhode Island: A Guide to the Smallest State,'' Federal Writers' Project (US History Publishers, 1977) pg. 41

/ref>

During the

Battle of Rhode Island The Battle of Rhode Island (also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill) took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and Militia forces under the command of Major General John Sullivan had been besieging the British forces in Newport, Rhode Is ...

in the American Revolution, American troops retreated from the British near this spot. , the Stone Bridge approaches are still visible from either side. The approaches are on Park Avenue in

and at a park in Tiverton off Main Road (

RI 77 Route 77 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It runs approximately from Rhode Island Road in Little Compton to Route 24 in Tiverton. Route description Route 77 starts at Rhode Island Road in southern Little Compton. It runs ...

References

External links

Photograph
of the Stone Bridge as it stood before it was destroyed.

of the Stone Bridge.
Tiverton Stone Bridge Committee
showing more historic photographs
Report of the Stone Bridge Commission
from the Rhode Island State Archives 1907 establishments in Rhode Island Bridges completed in 1907 Bridges in Newport County, Rhode Island Demolished bridges in the United States Former road bridges in the United States Road bridges in Rhode Island Stone arch bridges in the United States 1957 disestablishments in Rhode Island Buildings and structures demolished in 1957 {{RhodeIsland-bridge-struct-stub

History

See also

References

External links