Nomination for Atherton Bridge

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 REV. (9/77) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVEO JUL 3 0 1979 SLH DATE ENTERED 3 4 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Atherton Bridge AND/OR COMMON Atherton Bridge LOCATION STREET & NUMBER Bolton Road CITY, TOWN Lancaster STATE - VICINITY OF CODE 025 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT BUILDING(S) XSTRUCTURE SITE OBJECT OWNERSHIP X PUBLIC -PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION -IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED STATUS -OCCUPIED LUNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE _YES: RESTRICTED XYES: UNRESTRICTED _NO OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Town of Lancaster STREET & NUMBER Town Hall CITY. TOWN Lancaster -VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC.

Worcester County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 2 Main Street CITY,TOWN Worcester REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2nd COUNTY Worcester CODE 027 PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL PARK _EDUCATIONAL -PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL XTRANSPORTATION _MILITARY -OTHER: STATE Massachusetts STATE Massachusetts Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1977 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS -FEDERAL STATE COUNTY_LOCAL Massachusetts Historical Conmission CITY, TOWN STATE 294 washington St., Boston Massachusetts 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT X GOOD -FAIR DETERIORATED RUINS CHECK ONE XUNALTERED -ALTERED CHECK ONE X ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Atherton Bridge is a single span pony truss constructed in 1870. Located on Bolton Road, in a rural area surrounded by flat, open flood plain, the bridge spans the Nashua River approximately 3/4 miles east of South Lancaster. The eight truss paneled structure has a span of 72' and width of 18½' and rests on large granite block abutments. Although the bridge is not a patented version of the post truss like the nearby Ponakin Bridge(NR-eligible) it employs many Post truss features such as diagonal compression members that incline toward the center of the bridge and riveted dual tension rods that incline outward, the outermost of which extend two panels and the others across one panel. Compression members are Phoenix Columns (patented by the Phoenix Iron Co. of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania). The end posts are vertical dual tension rods. Top chords are riveted compound beams.

Floor construction consists of a cross planked deck supported by longitudinal planking on riveted transverse "I" beams that rests directly on the bottom chords, an older type of bridge technology. Wood transverse beams notched to fit over the bottom chords are spaced between each "I" beam. Because several compression members are loose from their fittings, the bridge has been" closed to traffic for several years.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 -1900- ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE ARCHITECTURE -ART _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW LOCOMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION LLAW -ECONOMICS -LITERATURE _EDUCATION -MILITARY X ENGINEERING -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY -INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION _RELIGION -SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER *TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1870 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT The Atherton Bridge possesses integrity of location,design, setting, materials, and workmanship and is associated with major transportation and the development of routes in Lancaster. In addition, it is one of two remaining examples known to the Historic American Engineering Record of an important nineteenth century bridge truss type. When erected, the Atherton Bridge was Lancaster's first iron bridge. Built on one of the main roads into Lancaster, the bridge is the most recent in a succession of earlier bridges. As was common practice, thestructure was named for a nearby family, the Athertons, descendants of James Atherton, one of the signers of the petition for incorporation of Lancaster in 1653. The bridge, which was built byithe town for the sum of $4,000 in 1870, incorporates many design features of the Post truss, patented by Simeon S. Post c. 1866. S.S.

Post was a weli known New Hampshire born civil engineer "whose work in addition to bridge design and building included surveys and construction of railroads, particularly the New York and Erie. He was the originator of the system of railroad baggage checking aniversaouy dadg ped end dreh orifinat desiz Anemakinocaity od timitanginersyas The Post truss is distinguished by compression members that incline toward the center of the bridge. It was a major bridge form in the second half of the nineteenth century and was the most frequnetly used bridge form for the trans-continental railroad. Other important Post truss bridges include the Union Pacific Railroad's crossing of the Missouri River at Omaha. Iwo and one-halt miles in length, this bridge was the largest on the line. Ihe Missouri kiver crossing of the Missouri-kansas-Texas Rallroad was also a Post patented bridge with a span of 256'.

Despite the truss' popularity, the Atherton and the nearby Ponakin Bridges (NR-eligible) are the only known surviving examples. Taken together, the bridges comprise a unique pair of structures representing an important era in American engineering.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Allen, Richard S., Iron Bridges on S.S. Post's Patent Condit, Carl, American Building Art, 19th c., vol I, Pp. 145-6, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1960 Marvin, Abijah P., History of Lancaster 1652-1879, Lancaster 1879 Town Clerk and Selectmen's records Correspondence with Donald Jackson, HAER 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY approx. 3 acre QUADRANGLE NAME Clinton, MA UTM REFERENCES AL191 ZONE 12/8,012,1,51 EASTING 14,710,213,9,0 NORTHING QUADRANGLE SCALE 1:24000 BLuJ ZONE Llu NORTHING LLILu ELULLILIL GL LLILILI VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION LILIL FLL HLUL Atherton Bridge is located on Boiton Road where the road crosses the Nashua River. LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME/TITLE Elizabeth T.

Durfee Inventory Coordinator with Phyllis and Lee Farnsworth (for)Lancaster Historical Commission ORGANIZATION DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission July 1, 1979 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston, Massachusetts 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL STATE_ LOCAL_ As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National 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.

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE Patum RWeslowok 7/18/19 TITLE DATE Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission FOR NPS USE ONLY LHEREBLERYNEY THATTHIS PROPEUYIS INGWOEO INTHE MATONAL REGISTER DATE KEEP ER OF THE NATIONAL REG TTEST. HIEOPREGISITYGION Uulax DATE 9-10-21 41169 GPO 921-803 Property Atheaton Budge Statemass. (Worcester Working Number 2. 30. 29.1869 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos - Maps Rl OK 2.30.22 One of a remaining examples khown if the Poot HISTORIAN faat, a gapeula puso in RR corstuctos iis the accet "12 g the 19th C. Attuton Birdge was, in addlitio, Ouluy gaut z a msjn tausportation soute. 9/10/22 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF aoceit.

Culut 9/10/15 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 10-2-79 Send-back- Re-submit Entered _SFP 10 1979 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service SEP 1 O 1979 Atherton Bridge Lancaster, MA Phyllis A. Farnsworth Lancaster Historical Commission August 1977 1ooking northeast Worcester JuL 3 0 ver) Coupty athertou Bridye, Bolton Road, Lancaster, Mass., Crected 1878, Iron southeast side of fredge facine northeast, phote ly Vhyllis A. Farnoworth, August 473 Harvard Road RECEIVED Lancaster, Mass. 01523 0L 3 0 1979 31 July 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER 2 To the Board of Selectmen and the Road Commissioners Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523 Gentlemen: I have just received confirmation from the Chief of the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) of the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.

C., that both the Atherton and Ponakin Bridges are of significant historical importance and should be saved if at all possible. He states that "Both bridges date from the early 1870's and are rare examples of the Post truss." "Taken together, the bridges comprise a unique pair of structures representing an important aspect of America's engineering heritage." "Many Post trusses were built throughout America, but the two in Lancaster are the only ones the HAER knows to survive." 10 2g 6 a org o tracte deC h0 has been opened. The Atherton Bridge, however, has been closed for a number of years and is planned to be torn down and replaced, and is on a road- way that would have heavy traffic if it were opened again. With this confirmation of its significance, we should initiate new plans to save it.

A way to do this would be first to leave the Atherton Bridge in its present location, and repair it enough to use it for foot traffic, horseback riding and other recreational uses. These uses would tie-in well with the Master Plan for the town, and the uses of the Nashua River Greenway in this area. Then second, move the highway south and build a new bridge there to support the traffic expected on this road- waJ.. Enclosed is further information on historic truss bridges and their preservation. Sincerely, Phylls l. Zarnowerth rnyllis A. Farnsworth National Pegister Coordinator for Lancaster Historical Connission Encl: Itr dta 7/26/78 from Douglas I. Griffin, HAER Information on Simeon S.

Post Article, Sec 3, Executive Order 11593, Historic Bridge Preservation at the Conmunity Level ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER MASSACHUSETTS STATE SEP I0 1979 Date Entered Name Atherton Bridge Ponakin Bridge International Trust Company Building Location Lancaster Worcester County Lancaster vicinity Worcester County Boston Suffolk County Also Notified Honorable Paul G. Tsongas Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Edward P. Boland Honorable John J. Moakley NR State Historic Preservatlon Officer Mrs. Patricia L. Weslowsk1 Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Byers/bjr 9/18/79 For further information, please call the National Register at (202)343-6401.