MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES History of Newton, Samuel F. Smith, 1880 King's Handbook of Newton, M.F.
Sweetser, 1889 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY less than one acre UTM REFERENCES AL119/ 13/116/4:2101 1416/8/6|9,010/ ZONE EASTING NORTHING ACREAGE NOT VERIFIED UTM NOT VERIFIED BL,J ZONE DLI EASTING NÓF NORTHING LuLuJLIiLu VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION Please refer to the attached plat map which is plan #145 filed with the Assessors' Department, Town of Needham., and section 51, block 1-2 filed with the Assessors' Department, Town of Newton LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY Norfolk STATE CODE Cou Middlesex CODE 21 CODE 17 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME/TITLE : Candace Jenkins , National Register Editor ORGANIZATION DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission :September 11, 1978 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts, 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED 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 atumLWeslrusk TITLE DATE Executive Director, Mass.
Historical Commission 9/19/78 FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE ATTEST DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION atrch Andsus KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE 1/9/80 4/8/80 GPO 892-453 FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED FEB 8 1980 DATE ENTERED CONTINUATION SHEET #1 ITEM NUMBER #8 PAGE #1 Echo Bridge possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship and important associations with the development of a major water system to serve Boston's growing population in the late nineteenth century.
Its total length of 475' is composed of seven arches of varying spans; the longest of these is almost 130' in length, making it for many years the second longest masonry arch in the United States. Located in Hemlock Gorge, one of the first areas acquired by the Metropolitan District Commission for recreation purposes, it was also a part of the conservation movement which helped to shape metropolitan Boston. Echo Bridge was among the earliest of long masonry bridges built in the United States 1n 1880. Long stone or brick bridges were, in fact, uncommon anywhere in the world. H.G. Tyrell claimed that, at that time, there were fewer than 60 such bridges with single spans of more than 120' in the world.
Echo Bridge's largest arch, which spans the Charles River, is nearly 130' in length, and at the time of construction and for many years following was the second longest masonry arch in this country (the longest was Cabin John Bridge in Washington D.C. with a single span of 220'). The total length of Echo Bridge with its 7 arches of varying spans is 475'. Because the place selected for the abutment for the largest arch on the river's eastern bank appeared to have a disintegrating rock formation, the base of the bridge was widened. Consequently, the arch, only 18' line to 22' as it reached the ground. In addition to solving an engineering problem, this adds to the graceful appearance of the bridge. The design of the arch is acoustically such that fine echoes can be made under it, and it is from this that the bridge took its name.
Because of the flaring form of the principle arch and the varying depths of the voissoirs, the ring stones were difficult to cut as no two were alike. So carefully constructed, Echo Bridge settled only 2" upon the removal of the supporting framework. Echo Bridge is a graceful and handsomely constructed bridge of granite and brick which adds to the rugged beauty of Hemlock Gorge. Its purpose was only to carry an aqueduct across the river, but its design was carefully conceived to contribute to its magnificent site rather than to detract from it. Echo Bridge is unusual for 1ts time for its assymmetry in arch arrangement, necessitated by the lay of the land. The City of Boston had grown so tremendously by the close of the Civil War that its needs for water had outgrown its supply greatly augmented only 20 years before. Engineer Joseph P.
Davis was retained by the Cochituate Water Board on November 22, 1871, to examine the possible sources of water for Boston within a 50 mile radius. In February of 1872, Davis made his first report recommending the Charles and the Sudbury Rivers FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY FEB 8 RECETVED 1980 DATE ENTERED CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER #8 PAGE 2 as the best sources of supply. In the beginning of April of that year, the Sudbury River Act was signed by the Governor of the Commonwealth and J.P. Davis was elected as Boston City Engineer the following December. Soon after election, Davis presented a long and detailed report proposing a new system for the storage and conveyance of water from the Sudbury River to Boston.
Its construction began on April 12, 1873, with A. Fteley(sic.) appointed as Resident Engineer in charge of the works. One of the many problems to be solved in the construction of the aqueduct was finding the best means of carrying the conduit over the Charles River. Davis recommended that this be done at Hemlock Gorge, Newton Upper Falls, by a high level bridge, so that neither a change of grade nor long siphon lines would be necessary. This plan was adopted by the Water Board on July 3, 1873. Quoting from the project completion report from 1882: "The location of the bridge required some care. The line had to be established so as to interfere as little as possible with the homes at Newton Upper Falls. It was also desirable to avoid a curve, and to select the narrowest point of the Charles River where a good foundation could be found.
The present location of the bridge unites these advantages. Iwo houses only had to be removed a short distance..." 2 Newton Upper Falls was a busy and crowded industrial village and concern was clearly taken to disturb the village minimally. Plans stated that 'The bridge is to be built in a most substantial manner of granite and brick work. The piers, arches and abutments up to the level of the conduit will be of granite, and above this there will be a handsome face-brick parapet, formed by pilasters into panels, and capped with a heavy granite coping, the whole surmounted by an orna- mental railing."3 The plans were well carried out.
Geor ehe Pheing bfd Sof 3198,12 Mas, oun seaec ted en oh eontrart7,, coning forth As a part of the widespread conservation movement which took place in the United States during the 1880's and '90's, serious efforts were made to upgrade the Charles River and its banks in recognition of its value as open space for the burgeoning metropolitan Boston area. The Metropolitan Park Commission was established in 1893, and this commis- sion quickly selected the reknowned architectural landscaping firm of Olmstead, Olmstead and Eliot to make a thorough study of the potentials of the Charles River.
In the firm's report to the commission submitted in 1895, it was proposed that the Charles River be made a water parkway, governed by a park commission, and on the basis that "the life of a river, like that of a human being, consists in the union of soul and body - the water and the banks", that land all along the banks of the river be acquired FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY FEB 8 RECETVED DATE ENTERED 1980 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER #8, #9 PAGE 3 by the commission from private owners through gift, purchase of condemnation. Among the first areas acquired by the MDC was the land bordering Hemlock Gorge, "containing the beautiful bridge of the Boston Water Works, widely known as Echo Bridge"'.
walking tralls, canoe carries, little rustic bridges and picnic areas were developed. Currently under the management of the Metropolitan District Commission, the area on the eastern bank lies within the Newton Upper Falls H.D. #9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Tyrell, H.G., The History of Bridge Engineering, 1891. 2. Additional Supply from Sudbury River: Description of the Work with Plates, Boston Water Works, Boston, 1882. 3. Report of the Joint Board upon the Improvement of Charles River, 1896, Metropolitan Park Conmission & State Board of Health, Boston, 1896. 4. History of the Boston Water Works from 1868 to 1876, under direction of Desmond FitzGerald, Supt., Western Division, Boston, 1876. 5. Report of the Metropolitan Park Commission, 1893 and 1897. 17000 .D. SUDBURY APR 1980 -ECHO BRIDGE PLITLY SEP 251978 NATIONAL REGISTER 83. R "Hemlock NEWTON 203.0 R=777.
20 257.60 0.54 Acre ECHOX BRIDGE" 90 2s. 8 3 45.0 Gorge" - armelo ana (Wooded and Brus 3. Acras 7440 S.F. (incl. st.) 117.43 RESEI 43.0 Neadham Newton RIVER + RECEIVED SEP È 51978 NATIONAL REGISTER APR 9 1,980 Ind Control Property Echo Brudse State MA - Muddleser Working Number 9.25. 78, 4/ 59 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos Maps 12 Piati tomitin es pete se neu nae nbi mateyial uatifa these aea . the areas of sighif. of ular HISTORIAN Built in 1826 c solid masonry this graceful arched structue served as an aquedui Patuch Andus across the chaules River- it was the ad ( angest masany auch in the U.5. for yeaus.
Echo Blidge was brult tomeet the growing water needs of bostons expanding pofulation and was part 4/8/80 o the cauly conservation movement desigred to piolect Bostons ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN recreational resoruces ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 Send-back Re-submit Entered APR =9 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Norfolk and Middlese co Echo Bridge Needham and Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts 1976 Kenneth Newcomb 24 Ohio Avenue, Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts #1 6f5 Looking south toward Bridge APR 9 1980 SEP 2 5 1978 CHARLEN RIVER --NEEDHAM TAKEN AY KEMNETH NEWCOMA 24 01710 ALE NEWTON UPPER FALLS, MAN HAr ALL NEGATIUEN MARCIIS Echo Bridge Nefalk and middloa co Needham and Newton Upper Falls, Mass.
Kathlyn Hatch 1978 Newton Historical Commission Newton, Mass. SEP 2 51978 Hooking north tomard bridge APR 9:1980 Charler R.at photo-Kathlyn 78 Echo Bridge Needham and Newton Upper Falls, Mass. Kathlyn Hatch 1978 Nawton Historical Commission Newton, Mass. #3075 south face of bridge SEP 2 51978 - Noufolk and misdleser co. APR photo Kethlyn Ma JUL 78 Echo Bridge Needham and Newton Upper Falls, Mass. Kathyln Hatch 1978 Newton Historical Commission Newton, Mass. A #4 ofs north face of bridge from beneath mair Horfalk and midllese co SEP 2 5 1978 photo_Kathlun -H- 78 Echo Bridge Needham and Newton Upper Falls, Mass. Kathyln Hatch 1978 Newton Historical Commission Newton, Nass.
#5 og SEP 2 5 1971 footpath across bridge Noufolk and Middlesskco.APR 9 photo - Kathlyn Hat MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State January 28, 1980 Ms. Carol Schull, Acting Keeper National Register of Historic Places Heritage, Conservation & Recreation Service 440 G Street NW Washington, D.C. 20243 Dear Ms. Schull; Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Attleboro- First Parsonage of the Medford- John McGill House (local) Second Church (local) Middleborough- C. P. Washburn Grain- * Bedford- David Lane House (local) mill (local) * Boston- Charles Street Jail (national) Middlefield- Stone Arch Railroad Bridge Dartmouth- Hill School (local) District (state) * East Longmeadow- Swetland-Pease Natick- Rev.
Stephen Badger House (state) House (local) Newton- St. Mary's Church & Cemetary (local Framingham- First Baptist Church (state) New Bedford- Central New Bedford Lancaster- Founders Hall (state) Historic District (local) Marlborough- Peter Rice House (local) Newton- Echo Bridge (state- resubmission) Medford- Edward Oakes House (local) Sharon- Stoneholm (local) (All of the above are enclosed) (These are enclosed under separate cover) These have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Sincerely, Christine Boulding Chinte Bonldury Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Conmission CB/cj *These properties were notified under the new procedures.
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State February 6, 1980 Ms. Carol Schull, Acting Keeper National Register of Historic Places Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service 440 G Street NW Washington, DC 20243 Dear Ms. Schull: Enclosed is the National Register nomination form for Echo Bridge in Newton. It was returned to our office in December 1987 for additional information. Please note that the continuation sheets were submitted on January 28; 1980. A copy is enclosed. Sincerely, chritie boulding Christine Boulding Survey Director CB/mt enc. THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DATE REC'D FEB 5 /980 IND:VIDU L RESP.NSE (ATTACHED) INFORM.
TIVE MATETAL SENT TELEPHONE CALL (ATTACHED) DATE ACTION TAKEN INITIALS FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED FEB 1 5 1980 DATE ENTERED CONTINUATION SHEET #1 ITEM NUMBER #8 PAGE #1 Echo Bridge possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship and important associations with the development of a major water system to serve Boston's growing population in the late nineteenth century. Its total length of 475' is composed of seven arches of varying spans; the longest of these is almost 130' in length, making it for many years the second longest masonry arch in the United States.
Located in Hemlock Gorge, one of the first areas acquired by the Metropolitan District Commission for recreation purposes, it was also a part of the conservation movement which helped to shape metropolitan Boston. Echo Bridge was among the earliest of long masonry bridges built in the United States in 1880. Long stone or brick bridges were, in fact, uncommon anywhere in the world. H.G. Tyrell claimed that, at that time, there were fewer than 60 such bridges with single spans of more than 120' in the world. Echo Bridge's largest arch, which spans the Charles River, is nearly 130' in length, and at the time of construction and for many years following was the second longest masonry arch in this country (the longest was Gabin John Bridge in Washington D.C. with a single span of 220'). The total length of Echo Bridge with its 7 arches of varying spans is 475'.
Because the place selected for the abutment for the largest arch on the river's eastern bank appeared to have a disintegrating rock formation, the base of the bridge was widened. line to 22' as it reached the ground. In addition to solving an engineering probiem, this adds to the graceful appearance of the bridge. The design of the arch is acousticail be madance dof name. Because of the flaring form of the principle arch and the varying depths of the voissoirs, the ring stones were difficult to cut as no two were alike. So carefully constructed, Echo Bridge settled only 2"upon the removal of the supporting framework. Echo Bridge is a graceful and handsomely constructed bridge of granite and brick which adds to the rugged beauty of Hemlock Gorge.
Its purpose was only to carry an aqueduct across the river, but its design was carefully conceived to contribute to its magnificent site rather than to detract from it. Echo Bridge is unusual for its time for its assymmetry in arch arrangement, necessitated by the lay of the land. The City of Boston had grown so tremendously by the close of the Civil War that its needs for water had outgrown its supply greatly augmented only 20 years before. Engineer Joseph P. Davis was retained by the Cochituate Water Board on November 22, 1871, to examine the possible sources of water for Boston within a 50 mile radius.
In February of 1872, Davis made his first report recommending the Charles and the Sudbury Rivers FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTOR Y -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED FEB 1 5 1980 DATE ENTERED CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER #8 pagE 2 as the best sources of supply. In the beginning of April of that year, the Sudbury River Act was signed by the Governor of the Commonwealth and J.P. Davis was elected as Boston City Engineer the following December. Soon after election, Davis presented a long and detailed report proposing a new system for the storage and conveyance of water from the Sudbury River to Boston. Its construction began on April 12, 1873, with A. Fteley(sic.) appointed as Resident Engineer in charge of the works.
One of the many problems to be solved in the construction of the aqueduct was finding the best means of carrying the conduit over the Charles River. Davis recommended that this be done at Hemlock Gorge, Newton Upper Falls, by a high level bridge, so that neither a change of grade nor long siphon lines would be necessary. This plan was adopted by the Water Board on July 3, 1873. Quoting from the project completion report from 1882: "The location of the bridge required some care. The line had to be established so as to interfere as little as possible with the homes at Newton Upper It was also desirable to avoid a curve, and to select the narrowest point of the Charles River where a good foundation could be found. The present location of the bridge unites these advantages.
Two houses only had to be removed a short distance..." 2 Newton Upper Falls was a busy and crowded industrial village and concern was clearly taken to disturb the village minimally. Plans stated that "The bridge is to be built in a most substantial manner of granite and brick work. .The piers, arches and abutments up to the level of the conduit will be of granite, and above this there will be a handsome face-brick parapet, formed by pilasters into panels, and capped with a heavy granite coping, the whole surmounted by an orna- mental railing."3 The plans were well carried out. George W. Phelps of Springfield, Mass., was selected as the contractor, coming forth with the winning bid of $198,722.50. Ground was broken on December 7, 1875.
As a part of the widespread conservation movement which took place in the United States during the 1880's and '90's, serious efforts were made to upgrade the Charles River and its banks in recognition of its value as open space for the burgeoning metropolitan Boston area. The Metropolitan Park Commission was established in 1893, and this commis- sion quickly selected the reknowned architectural landscaping firm of Olmstead, Olmstead and Eliot to make a thorough study of the potentials of the Charles River.
In the firm's report to the commission submitted in 1895, it was proposed that the Charles River be made a water parkway, governed by a park commission, and on the basis that "the life of a river, like that of a human being, consists in the union of soul and body - the water and the banks", that land all along the banks of the river be acquired FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED FEB 1 5 1980 DATE ENTERED CONTI NUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER. #8, #9 PAGE 3 by the commission from private owners through gift, purchase of condemnation.
Among the first areas acquired by the MDC was the land bordering Hemlock Gorge, "containing the beautiful bridge of the Boston Water Works, widely known as Echo Bridge" Walking trails, canoe carries, little rustic bridges and picnic areas were developed. eropol itan r sert Currently under the management of the Metropolitan District Commission, the area on the eastern bank lies within the Newton Upper Falls H.D. #9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Tyrell, H.G., The History of Bridge Engineering, 1891. 2. Additional Supply from Sudbury River: Description of the Work with Plates, Boston Water Works, Boston, 1882. 3. Report of the Joint Board upon the Improvement of Charles River, 1896, Metropolitan Park Commission & State Board of Health, Boston, 1896. History of the Boston Water Works from 1868 to 1876, under direction of Desmond FitzGerald, Supt., Western Division, Boston, 1876. 5.
Report of the Metropolitan Park Commission, 1893 and 1897. Plates Judburtton River: Workr, 62-63 Add.tional of the Work Boiton, 17$2 HVIL U iu da1c0 SECTION 15. Section 15 extends from Station G23 io Station 639. 'The west part of it is built in a moderately deep trench, half sand and half rock. The balance of the section includes Charles-River bridge, with its approaches. The location of the bridge required some care. The line had to be established so as to interfere as little as possible with the houses at Newton Upper Falls. It was also desirable to avoid a curve, and to select the narrowest point of Charles River where a good foundation could he found. The present location of' the bridge unites these advantages. Iwo houses only had to be removed a short distance, and the out-buildings of two others were slightly interfered with. The bridge is formed of 7 arches.
The first, on the western bank, is a seg- inental arch, of 18 feet radius; the second arch, a segmental one, with a radius of 69 feet, spans the river with an opening of nearly 130 fect. The next 4 arches, 36 ft. 8 in. in span, on the eastern shore, are semi-circular. The seventli, a flat segmental arch of 26 It. G in. radius, 28 ft. in span, is built over Ellis street. The bridge between its terminal- chambers is 475 ft. long. (Plates 59 and 60.) 'The whole structure is built on conglomerate rock. On the east bank, at the place intended for the abutment of the largest arch, the rock appeared seamy and disintegrated, and it was thought, prudent to widen the base of the structure. For this purpose the largest arch, which at the top under the conduit is only 18 feet wide, was gradually widened by a curved line to 22 ft. at the level of the ground.
(Section on DD, Plate 59.) That disposition has also the advantage of giving to the arch a more graceful appearance. The voussoirs of the sinaller arches are uniformly 2, ft. 3 in. in depth, with the exception of the ring-stones of the street arch, which are considerably deeper. "The voussoirs of the largest arch are 5 ft. deep at the top and 6 ft. at the level of the ground.( Owing to the flaring form of the arch, and to the variable depths of the voussoirs, the ring-stones were diflicult to cut; tney were all different for one side of the briuge, and none presented two arrises of the same length. The contractor executed the work with such preeision that., although the stones were entirely finished at the quarry, none were found defective.
The size of the voussoirs of the largest arch is so proportioned that in no case, whether the conduit is supposed built on the arch or not, the eurve of pressure leaves the midile third of the space between the intrados and extrados. With the conduit full of water the horizontal thrust at the crown is 15.7 tons per square foot, equivalent to 1,+13 tons for the whole section of the crown. At the lowest roussoir, at the level of the ground, the load is 25 tons per square foot, equivalent to 3,360 tons for the whole section of' the arch at that point. Ou the rock of the cast bank, which was not so sound, the load was reduced by the means of 4 heavy stepping courses of foundation-stones to 11} tons per square foot of surface. The frame necessary to support the large arch during its construction was of come magnitude.
It was supported by 5rows of postss on the coarse gravel forming the bot- tom of' the stream in the following manner? The water in the river having been lowered to within a foot or more fiom the bottom, large stones, of a roughly rectangular shape, 5 FEB 1 5 1980 ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLY. 63 feet long and 2 feet thick, were laid side by side on the bottom transversely to the conduit und well bedded in the gravel for a length of 24 feet. Three of these lines of stones were laid corresponding to 3 of the rows of posts which were to support the frame. On cach of these lines of stones a continuous shallow groove was cut wide enough to receive a -ill of hard-pine timber 14 inches by 14 inches, and sufficiently smooth to form a joint with the timber. On this sill were erected 5 pairs of hard-pine posts, 12 inches by 14 inches.
The other two rows of posts, near the shores, rested on a sill reposing on i base of concrete. (See Plate G1.) The frame was composed of 5 trusses, each of which was supported on 5 jack- -crews, 4 inches in diameter, placed on the capping of the posts. There being 5 rows of posts and 5 trusses, the frame and its load were consequently supported by 25 screws which were found of great service for adjusting the structure, and afterwards for striking the centring. The struts, 8 inches by 10 inches, of spruce timber, 25 in number for each truss, and supporting the 1-inch lagging, were radial in direction. It being important to keep the settlement of the frame within narrow limits, all the joints of the timber were adjusted with care, and all tha pieces were calculated to support a load of no more than 600 pounds per square inch.
During the construction of the arch a settlement was to be expected, due to the rompression of the gravel in the bed of the river and of the several timber joints. To this was to be added the probable settlement of the arch after striking the centring. The frame was erected in the exact position that the intrados of the arch was intended to necupy, and, in order to compensate for the expected settlement, a furring of wood, 2 inches thick at the crown and gradually diminishing to nothing at the haunches, was to the ribs, and on it the lagging was fastened. By the time the arch was closed the frame had settled gradually down almost "xactly to its theoretical position (see Diagram, fig. 1), and, after striking the centring, the arch settled down to a noint a little lower than expected.
After the whole structure had been completed, with the conduit built on the top, the arch stood at the crown & inch lower than was contemplated. (See Diagram, fig. 2.) The arch was closed in November, 1576. The faces of the voussoirs were cut for f-inch joints; but many joints exceed that limit. The interior construction of Charles-River bridge is identical with that of Waban bridge, and the conduit is built on it in the same manner. The interior drainage galleries and other empty spaces are accessible through a vertical door in the east abutment of the road-arch and through two man-holes, one on the north side of the west abutment of the street arch, the other on the south side of the bridge, about 25 feet westerly from the foot of the arch on the Needham shore. (See Plate 60) The chambers under these two man- holes are drained by pipes laid under ground.
At cach end of the bridge the conduit is enlarged into a chamber. (Plates 59 and (il.) These chambers, used for examination, and repaits, will also be found useful for rauging the flow of water in the conduit. The top of the conduit is 75 feet above the water-level of Charles River. APR 9 1980 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS APR Date Entered 9 1980 Name Location Echo Bridge Swetland-Pease House Rice, Capt. Peter, House First Baptist Church Oakes, Edward, House MeG111, John H., House Dillaway School Berger Factory Town of Needham, City of Newton Norfolk and Middlesex County East Longmeadow vicinity Hampden County Marlborough Middlesex County Framingham Middlesex County Medford Middlesex County Medford Middlesex County Boston Suffolk County Boston Suffolk County Also Notified Honorable Paul Isongas Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable John J.
Moakley Honorable Robert F. Drinan Honorable Edward P. Boland Honorable Joseph D. Early Honorable Edward J. Markey NR State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L. Weslowski Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Byers/bjr 4/17/80 For further information, please call the National Register at (202)343-6401. NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET DNAME as it appears on federal register: OTHER NAMES: 3)date of entry: )county code: Echo Bridge 017 street & number Ellis St. at Charles River city / town Newton vicinity of state MA N OWNER DPRIVATE OSTATE EXISTING INICIPAL OCOUNTY -MULTIPLE CFEDERAL(agency name) FUNDED? DYES ONO 11)CONGRESS.
DISTRICT 9 & 4 SOURCE of NOMINATION HISTORIC LANDI )CONDITION Oexcellent Ogood Ofair - deteriorated Oruins Dunexposed Ounexcavated Oaltered Dunaltered Dreconstructed Dexcavated Ooriginal site Omoved Ounknown BACCESS OYES-Restricted DYES - Unrestricted 31 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : CARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric -2 - COMMERCE-6 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 - AGRICULTURE -3 - CONSERVATION - 8 - ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS- 9 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 - No Access -ENGINEERING-11 -ENTERTAINMENT-26 CEXPLORATION -12 - HEALTH -27 - INDUSTRY - 13 - INVENTION - 14 - Unknown -LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - LAW - 16 - LITERATURE - 17 - MILITARY- 18 - MUSIC - 19 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 *functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: architectural style(s): CHO 17features: *OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 QONOT INTACT-O WCUNKNOWN-4 20 NOT APPLICABLE-7 ADAPTIVE USE 1 DYES ONO SAVED?
DYES - POLITICS/ GOVT.* 21 -RECREATION -28 C RELIGION-22 -SETTLEMENT-29 - SCIENCE- 23 -URBAN PLANWING-31 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 DOTHER (SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL- 30 - TRANSPORTATION -25 2dates of initial construction: major alterations: historic events: (also mcounty norfolK Co.) 6NPS REGION: Middlesex Atlantic BADMINISTRATOR: CSTATE CFEDERAL il state who prepared form? -LOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION «OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 2 2OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 20 NOT INTACT-O -NOT INTACT - O OUNKNOWN-5 >O UNKNOWN -6 EO NOT APPLICABLE-8 w O NOT APPLICABLE - 9 IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?
Dyes Ono OCLAIMS: explain "first'O 'oldest' D 'only' D ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION @architect: ®master builder: engineer: -landscape architect / garden designer: I interior decorator: artist: Bartisan: @builder/contractor: *NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: -NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP .date. IIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE
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