Hamp Road Bridge

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Description 

"The bridge carries a narrow, lightly travelled, unimproved country road over a minor stream in a sparsely developed area. It is located in a wooded rural setting. Within sight of the bridge are the stone abutments of a non-extant railroad bridge. The unspoiled and protected setting enhances the significance of the span." "SUMMARY The 4-panel pin-connected half hip Pratt pony truss bridge is supported on random ashlar abutments with wingwalls. The diagonals are joined to the chords and through bearing assembly with cast iron connectors, a detail found on another WIBC span in the county (10XXL95). This span is well preserved, and it is one of the most distinctive and complete examples of the over 20 Pratt half hip pony trusses in the county. Its state of preservation and construction details make it significant. STRUCTURE # 10WD120 ALTERATION DT 1973-1974 INFOR MATION BIBLIOGRAPHY: Darnell, Victor C. A Directory of American Bridge-Building Companies, 1840-1900. Washington D.C.: Society for Industrial Archeology, 1984. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The four-panel, pin-connected, half-hip Pratt pony truss bridge is supported on random ashlar abutments with wingwalls. The top chord and inclined end posts are riveted box members composed of shallow channels, toe out, with cover plates and widely spaced battens. Vertical members are back-to-back angles joined by lattice. The bottom chord and diagonals are stamped roundheaded eyebars. Pin connections are through gusset plates riveted to the vertical ends. An unusual feature is the cast iron bearing shoes with rollers at both the expansion bearing plate and the fixed end. Cast iron connectors are also used for the node connecting the inclined end posts and top chord. The diagonals pass through the node and are secured by bolts. The original lattice railings remain. Alterations are not intrusive and include the addition of outriggers, small welded reinforcing plates at panel points, duplicate diagonals welded to the outside of the top chords in the end panels, and small repairs. A new deck has been added. The bottom chord appears to be sprung. HISTORICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Although the fabricator and date of construction are not documented, the ca. 1895 pin-connected Pratt pony truss bridge appears to be very like the "Low Truss, Half Slope End Posts" bridge described in the 1885 Wrought Iron Bridge Company Illustrated Pamphlet. The castings used at the bearings and the node between the end posts and top chord are unusual construction details that distinguish the span as technologically significant (criterion C). The span, one of over 20 Pratt half hip pony truss bridges in Hunterdon County, is a valuable example of both an important local bridge type and idiosyncratic details. It is attributed to The Wrought Iron Bridge Company based on those details."

see: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/works/environment/pdf/...

I added "Jones & Laughlin Steel Co." as a possible builder because that seems to be how bridgehunter.com tracks them. I don't think they built the bridge, which is pretty much a clone of at least half a dozen nearly identical pony trusses in the county. But "Jane Ell" steel is a bit rare here, most of the bridges getting their metal from Phoenix Iron or from Carnegie. - moved to description

Categories 

19th Century (7,530) Built 1895 (273) Built during 1890s (2,975) Corrugated deck (488) Half-hip Pratt pony truss (502) Have street view (26,799) Hunterdon County, New Jersey (192) NR-eligible (4,044) New Jersey (1,515) One-lane traffic (7,596) Open (39,782)

Owned by county (20,730) Pin-connected (3,891) Pony truss (16,159) Pratt pony truss (3,632) Pratt truss (9,267) Span length 50-75 feet (10,052) Structurally deficient (14,289) Total length 50-75 feet (9,272) Truss (32,696) Wrought Iron Bridge Co. (373)

Update Log 

• September 21, 2020: New photos from Patrick Gurwell
• January 9, 2019: New Street View added by Dana and Kay Klein
• March 15, 2016: Updated by Art Suckewer: Corrected build year based on reference in the Strimples Mill Bridge Historic Register submission draft. move the mill name to the description
• August 25, 2012: Updated by Andrew Pearce: added data and pictures

Sources 

• Art Suckewer - Asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com
• Dana and Kay Klein
• Patrick Gurwell - pgurwell [at] gmail [dot] com

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