Casselman Bridge, also known as Casselmans Bridge, was completed in 1811 and opened for traffic in 1813 to carry the National Road

National Road

The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...

 across the Casselman River

Casselman River

The Casselman River is a tributary of the Youghiogheny River in western Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United States.The Casselman River rises atop the plateau of western Maryland and then follows a great arc across the Laurel Highlands of Somerset County, Pennsylvania to the appropriately named...

 near Grantsville

Grantsville, Maryland

Grantsville is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 619 at the 2000 census.-History:Grantsville, 1/2 mile west of the Casselman River, began as a small Amish and Mennonite settlement, called Tomlinson's or Little Crossing, along Braddock rd., which wound westward...

 in western Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

. The bridge was built to aid in the westward movement through the wilderness west of Cumberland

Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...

. The 354 feet (107.9 m) long stone arch bridge spans 48 feet (14.6 m) with a 30 feet (9.1 m) high arch.

It was declared a National Historic Landmark

National Historic Landmark

A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

 in 1964.

It is located 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) east of Grantsville, Maryland beside what is now US 40. While highway traffic no longer crosses the bridge, it remains in good condition.

Rehabilitation and Preservation

In the 1940s and early 1950s efforts were made to preserve the bridge. Sections of the bridge had started to crumble and fall apart. The bridge was patched and preserved as well as possible at the time. In 1979 the bridge was inspected structurally and rehabilitation plans were designed by Wallace, Montgomery & Associates, LLP to help save the structure and return it to its original state.

Casselman River Bridge State Park

The bridge and surrounding 4 acres are preserved as Casselman River Bridge State Park. The bridge is open to pedestrians, and there are fishing opportunities in Casselman River.

Historic Stanton's Mill

Stanton's Mill

Stanton's Mill is a historic grist mill complex located at Grantsville, Garrett County, Maryland, consisting of five interrelated buildings and structures. The Stanton's Mill building was built built about 1859. It is two stories and constructed of heavy timber frame with a gable roof; an addition...

 is adjacent to the park.

External links

• Casselman River Bridge State Park - official site
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Casselman River Bridge State Park
• Casselman Bridge, National Road, Garrett County, including photo in 1996, at Maryland Historical Trust
• River Road Bridge, Crossing Casselman River on Casselman River Road, Grantsville vicinity, Garrett County, MD: 18 photos, 15 data pages, 3 photo caption pages, at Historic American Engineering Record