Nomination for Choate Bridge

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SHOMLAHLN Form 10-300 (July 1969) P#000411412413 4B NO UTM 72000 137 JNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR YSTATE: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM **. (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) Mass.

COUNTY: Essex FORNPS USE ONLY ENTRY NÜMBER -AUG 2:1 1872 DATE NAME COMMON: Choate Bridge AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: Route 1A over the Ipswich River CITY OR TOWN: Congressional District # 6 (South Main Street) Ipswich STATE CODE COUNTY: Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District Site Building Structure 25 Essex CODE 009 OWNERSHIP STATUS Object Public Private Both Public Acquisition: ] In Process Being Considered * Occupied - Unoccupied - Preservation work in progress ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC Yes: Restricted Unrestricted No PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Agricultural Government Commercial Industrial Educational Military Entertainment Museum OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: Park Private Residence Religious Scientific * Transportation - Other (Specify) - Comments Town of Ipswich STREET AND NUMBER: Town Hall CITY OR TOWN: Ipswich LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Essex County Registry of Deeds, South District STREET AND NUMBER: 32 Federal Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 STATE CODE 6 Salem Massachusetts REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE OF SURVEY: 1967 - Federal X State - County DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary STREET AND NUMBER: 025 - Local State House CITY OR TOWN: ISTATE: Boston Massachusetts CODE 025 COUNTY: Essex ENTRY NUMBEE De 1974 DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY 7.

DESCRIPTION CONDITION X Altered Unaltered Moved X Origiral Site DESCRIBE THEPRESENT ANDORIGINAL(if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE section ofe ainste Beldee de fAy. cih spa in tretandch füived in dgonsitutes av constructed entirely of rough hewn granite blocks. The 1764 construction plans read: "the two end Abutments to be extended so far into the river as to leave about 68 feet space between them. That in the Middle of said space be erected a Butment about 20 feet long and about 8 feet wide. That from the same middle to the two end Butments and Arch be turned so as to leave about 30 feet for the Passage of Water under each Arch." After work had started on the bridge, it was agreed to add to the bridge, instead of "rails", a "wall guard not exceeding 15 inches wide at the Bottom nor less than 9 inches at the Top, and about 3 feet high." The guard wall on the western side still exists today.

Set into the south end of the western wall guard, facing the street, is the stone inscribed with the words "Choate Bridge, Built by Town and County, 1764." When the bridge was completed, the Court of General Sessions ordered it be so named in recognition of "the great Care and Assiduity of the Honorable John Choate, Esq." The bridge, 80'6" long and 20'6" wide in 1764, was widened to 35'6" on the eastern side in 1838. On the western, 1764 side, small, evenly cut stones are used for the voussoirs of each of the two elliptical arches and in the wall guards of the bridge. The spandrels are set with rubble. The eastern, 1838 facade consists of random ashlar, each stone about twice the size of that used in the earlier construction.

Each arch rests on a heavy base of random rubble./ Looking at the arches from underneath, the clear division between the two construction periods is sharply defined in the intrados, the cut stones of the earlier period again roughly half the size of the stones set later. M - REGIS INSTRUCTIONS 8. SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) Pre-Columbian!

15th Century - 16th Century 17th Century * 18th Century - 19th Century - 20th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1764 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal Education - Prehistoric Engineering Historic Industry Agriculture Invention Architecture Landscape Art Architecture Commerce Literature Communications Military Conservation Music Political Religion/Phi- losophy Science Sculpture Social/Human- itarian Theater [X Transportation - Urban Planning - Other (Specify) STATEMENT OF SiGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

Choate Bridge, Ipswich, is significant in the history of American road building as an example of early stone construction. It has been cited as such to the Society of American Bridge Engineers by the Massachusetts Department of Public Works. /Built in 1764, Choate Bridge is one of the oldest stone bridges in Massachusetts, if not the oldest.! On that basis it has been certified a Massachusetts Historic Landmark. Choate Bridge was built to replace an old cart bridge on the same site. The project was initiated by the Essex County Court (in March, 1764), but the Town of Ipswich agreed to share the cost of the new structure. In December, 1764, the Essex County Court voted to name the bridge in honor of Col. John Choate, who had supervised its construction. Col.

Choate spent many months strengthening provincial forts during the French and Indian Wars and had acquired a reputation as an expert on building with stone. Besides being an engineer, Col Choate was also -- simultaneously -- judge of the Court of General Sessions, Chief of the Court of Common Pleas, town moderator, county treasurer and Governor's Councillor. The eastern side of the Choate Bridge was widened in 1838. The western side and parapet, with its inscription to Col. Choate, remain unchanged. RECEIVED MAR 16 1972 NATIONA REGIS: 12

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Essex County Court, Records, April to December 1761. Felt, Joseph, History of Ipswich, Essex to Hamilton, Cambridge, 1834. Ipswich, Town of, Records, Meetings, March & April, 1764, March 1765. Thompson, Katherine, "Choate Bridge, " in Ipswich Chronicle, February 4, 1965. 10.

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY 0 R LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINA TES DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES CORNER LATITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds NW NE 42° 40° 46" Degrees Minutes Seconds 70° 50' 16" SE SW APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: less than one acre LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE: 2 13 CODE COUNTY CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE STATE: TVNOLVN CODE COUNTY: CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE FORM PREPARED NAME AND TITLE: 18 Anne Wardwell, Survey Director ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary STREET AND NUMBER: DATE March 18, 1971 State House CITY OR TOWN: STATE Boston STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICAIION Massachusetts NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION CODE 025 As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na- tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

The recommended level of significance of this nomination is: National State X] LocalX I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa1 Register. Potestu Utlu Chief, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Date 8/21/12. Name +.X.N puysen Secretary of the Commonwealth and Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission ATTEST: Wilemefteuhh Keeper of The Nattonal Registe Date March 6, 1972 Date ZM 34 -0 -662 LONe wm 9-10- m - Z DATE OF RECEIPT DATA PAGE PHOTO (S) PHOTO DESCRIPTION (S) MAP (S) MAP DESCRIPTION (S) LOGGED ACKNOWLEDGE RESUBMIT REVIEW HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST ARCHITECT ASST. KEEPER KEEPER WRITER/EDITOR DIRECTOR, OAHP EDITORIAL PROCESSING, EDITOR PROPERIY CHoa te BRiDGe Essey STATE MASS 3/16/42 ves NO NUMBER REGISTEAUG 2 1 1972 0. RECEIVED 3/16/52 MAR 16 NATIONAL REGISTER 09/12 Shay.

Barle 1 8/9/72 Ol Chanter 8-10-72 OKpullen Federal Registry Entry 9-5-72 Logged AUG 2 1 1972 Card COMMENTS: Annual Edition Entry ANG 2 1 1972 WORKING NUMBER 3/16/72/381 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: # 6 NPS Title: Choute Bridge, Tpawich - Eersten side MNC 197/ 21932 ite Bui L00..

PROP UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STATE Massachusetts NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY AUENTRY NYJISER NAME COMMON: Choate Bridge AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: Route 1-A, South Main Street, over the Ipswich River CITY OR TOWN: Ipswich STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 COUNTY: Essex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Massachusetts Historical Commission DATE OF PHOTO: 1971 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Massachusetts Historical Commission, Archives Museum, Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston, MA 02133 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. Choate Bridge, Ipswich, western side NPS Number... Quput 2,1922 T1t107- Choate bidge Ts Coe ty, Mass Loc.

RUCTIONS PROP UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STATE Massachusetts COUNTY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Essex PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) FOR NPS USE ONL ENTRY NUMBER ÄUG 2 1 1972 COMMON: Choate Bridge AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: Route 1-A, South Main Street, over the Ipswich River CITY OR TOWN: Ipswich STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 COUNTY: Essex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Massachusetts Historical Commission DATE OF PHOTO: 1971 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Massachusetts Historical Commission, Archives Museum Office of the Secretary, State House,'Boston, MA 02133 DENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. Choate Bridge, Ipswich, eastern side Chrak Budse, spaueek - Western side MHC 1971 NPS Mumber.

Qugust 21,1972 oate Bridge Title: LQc.- RUCTION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) AUF STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER - 1972 NAME coMMoN Choate Bridge AND/OR HISTORIC: LOC TION STREET AND NUMBER: Route 1-A, South Main Street, over the Ipswich River CITY OR TOWN: Ipswich NATI REG STATE: CODE COUNTY: COI Massachusetts 025 Essex 0( PHOTO RE FERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Massachusetts Historical Commission DATE OF PHOTO: 1971 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Massachusetts Historical Commission, Archives Museum, Office of the Secretary. State House, Boston. MA 02133 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC.

Choate Bridge, Ipswich, under arch - / - Form_10:301 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM (Type all entries -attach to or enclose with map) NAME 2. COMMON: Choate Bridge AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: Route 1-A, South Main Street over the Ipswich River CITY OR TOWN: Ipswich COUNTY: STATE: CODE 025 Massachusetts MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: Essex U. S. G. S. 7 1/2' quadrangle, "Ipswich, Mass." SCALE: 1 : 24,000 DATE: 1966 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference. STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER AUG 2 I 1972 DATE CODE 009 RACHIVED MAR 16 1972 9 NATIONAL REGISTE TyT Pumping Stations - (GEORGETOWN) GRAVEL PAS TOWN Egup Muddu MITCHELL MAINE BM 25 Gravel- %.

ust Grove Sisters of Notre Dame de Namiur Novitiate Tuy Hil (pswich (ua High Sch: ROAO imbe Hill ravel Brook Playground Cerg Sewage Disposat -Townt Reser x183 5 Memoriale inthnySumh 450 ONSBESS" Bush HN Heartbreak Scott Hil Town: IPSWICH, MASS. CHOATE BRIDGE U.S.G.S.: Ipswich, Mass. 1966 Scale: 1 : 24,000 SI93d NOLLVN 18 1V Safred Heart go Joniorate Sravei Pits. - ROAD - ANE ETrRRACIRN TErE LBENS John F. X. Davoren Secretury of the Commonwealth The Commoniocalth of Massachusets Office of the Secretary Prate Hlouse, Boston 02133 March 7, 1972 12 VATIO EGI Office of Archeology & Historic Preservation National Park Service 801 Nineteenth Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20006 CERTIFIED MAIL Attention: Miss Mary Means Enclosed is a National Register submission for: 1.

Choate Bridge, Ipswich, Massachusetts It has been declared eligible for submission by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the State Review Board, and has been signed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, John F. X. Davoren, Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission and designated State Liaison Officer. Sincerely yours, mnah orded alif Richard W. Hale, Jr. Acting Chairman Massachusetts Historical Commission RWH/akc enclosures / ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHISAPS Date Entered AUG 2 1 1972 Name Location Middlesex Canal Choate Bridge Towns of wobura, Wilmington, Billerica, Chelnsford, Iovel1 Middleser County Ipswich Esaex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward W. Brooke Bon. F. Bradford Morse Hon. Michael J. Harrington Director, Northeast Region HR NRowland:mm 8/21/72 State Liaison 0fficer Hon. John P. X.

Davoren Secretary of the Connonwealth Chairnan, Massachusetts Historical Conmission Office of the Secretary, State House Boston, Massachusetts 02133