Choate Bridge
Encyclopedia
Choate Bridge is a historic stone arch bridge
on Route 1A
/Route 133
over the Ipswich River
(S. Main St.) in Ipswich, Massachusetts
that is the oldest surviving double arch bridge in North America.
. In 1989 the bridge was extensively renovated.
Stone Arch Bridge
The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.Positioned between the 3rd Avenue Bridge and the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge, the Stone Arch Bridge was built in 1883 by railroad tycoon James J...
on Route 1A
Massachusetts Route 1A
Route 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent...
/Route 133
Massachusetts Route 133
Route 133 is an east–west Massachusetts state route that runs from Lowell to Gloucester.-Route description:Route 133 begins at the junction of Route 38 and Route 110 in Lowell, where Route 110 begins a concurrency with Route 38 northbound. Route 133 heads east from this point, heading...
over the Ipswich River
Ipswich River
Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is long, and its watershed is approximately , with an estimated population in the area of 160,000 people. - Geography :...
(S. Main St.) in Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
that is the oldest surviving double arch bridge in North America.
History
The stone bridge was built in 1764 by the town and county. Construction was supervised by Colonel John Choate, the local treasurer. Choate was the allegedly the first person to ride his horse over the bridge. In 1838 the single lane bridge was widened to two lanes. In 1972 the historic bridge was added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. In 1989 the bridge was extensively renovated.