Berlin Iron Bridge Co.

The Berlin Iron Bridge Company was a Berlin, Connecticut company that built iron bridges and buildings that were supported by iron. It is credited as the architect of numerous bridges and buildings now listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It eventually became part of the American Bridge Company.

History

Illustration of East Berlin Iron Works Co. Office and Work

The Berlin Iron Bridge Company began in 1868 as the Corrugated Metal Company, a branch of tinware firm Roys and Wilcox, which is now part of Roper Whitney.[1] Originally producing roofing and shutters, the company became involved in roof trusses. In 1878, under Samuel C. Wilcox, the company purchased the rights to the "parabolic" (lenticular truss) bridge patent from William Douglas. Douglas became treasurer and executive manager of the company. In 1885 he received another patent, and the company name was changed to Berlin Iron Bridge Company.

The Berlin Iron Bridge Company constructed hundreds of bridges across the eastern United States, until 1900, when the company was acquired by the American Bridge Company.[2]

Berlin Steel

Almost immediately after its acquisition by the American Bridge Company, three executives from the Berlin Iron Bridge Company split from American Bridge and formed their own company, the Berlin Construction Company. The new company continued in the path of the Berlin Iron Bridge Company and continued building bridges until the 1930s. In 1962 it was renamed to the Berlin Steel Construction Company, and still exists today.[2][3] Several of their bridges have also been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bridges

Hadley Parabolic Bridge

South Washington Street Parabolic Bridge

Neshanic Station Lenticular Truss Bridge

• Mattabesset River Bridge (c.1880s or 1890s), abandoned lenticular pony-truss in Connecticut spanning the Mattabesset River between Cromwell and Berlin[4]
• Berlin Bridge (1880) over Webutuck Creek, a lenticular truss bridge manufactured in 1880 and shipped to the area for installation by local residents, NRHP-listed
• Bardwell's Ferry Bridge (1882), a lenticular truss bridge over the Deerfield River, Conway, Massachusetts, NRHP-listed
• Sheffield Street Bridge (1884), carries Sheffield Street over Hancock Brook in Waterbury, Connecticut, NRHP-listed[5]
• Interlaken Mill Bridge (1885), Rhode Island, built 1885 spanning the Pawtuxet River, NRHP-listed
• Hadley Parabolic Bridge (1885), only survivor of only three iron semi-deck lenticular truss bridges to have been built (in New York State or in the world?), CR 1, Hadley, NY, NRHP-listed
• Interlaken Mill Bridge (1885), spanning the Pawtuxet River at Arkwright, Coventry, RI, NRHP-listed
• Golden Hill Bridge (c.1885), only known surviving bridge to implement modifications to the pony truss design patented by William O. Douglas in 1885, Golden Hill Rd. over the Housatonic River, Lee, MA, NRHP-listed
• Glen Falls Bridge (1886), Brunswick Ave. over the Moosup River, Plainfield, CT, NRHP-listed
• Raymondville Parabolic Bridge (1886), a lenticular truss bridge spanning the Raquette River, Raymondville, NY, NRHP-listed
• South Washington Street Parabolic Bridge (1886), a lenticular truss bridge, S. Washington St., Binghamton, New York, NRHP-listed
• Ashland Mill Bridge (1886), over the Pachaug River, near Ashland St., Griswold, CT, formerly NRHP-listed
• Douglas & Jarvis Patent Parabolic Truss Iron Bridge (1887), Rte. 2 over the Missisquoi River, Highgate Falls, VT, NRHP-listed[6]
• Pineground Bridge (1887), 0.15 mi. E of NH 28 on Depot Rd., Chichester, NH, NRHP-listed
• Boardman's Bridge (1888), Boardman Rd. over the Housatonic River, NW of New Milford, CT, NRHP-listed[7]
• Main Street Bridge (1888), now a footbridge only, carried Main St. over the Rippowam River, Stamford, CT, NRHP-listed
• Melrose Road Bridge (1888), Melrose Rd. over the Scantic River, East Windsor, CT, NRHP-listed[8]
• Ouaquaga Lenticular Truss Bridge (1888), a lenticular truss bridge over the Susquehanna River, Ouaquaga, NY, NRHP-listed
• Swing Bridge (1888), over the Ausable River, between Clinton and S. Ausable Sts., Keeseville, NY, NRHP-listed
• Town Line Bridge (1888), located in the town of Taylor in Cortland County, New York, NRHP-listed
• Minortown Road Bridge (1890), Minortown Rd. over the Nonewaug River, Woodbury, CT, NRHP-listed[9]
• Walton Bridge (c. 1890), Dr. Ray Rd. access over the Ausable River, Keene, NY, NRHP-listed
• Waterville Bridge (1890), moved in 1985, now brings the Appalachian Trail over Swatara Creek, Swatara Gap, PA, NRHP-listed
• Red Bridge (1891), near Oregon Rd. over the Quinnipiac River, Meriden, CT, NRHP-listed[10]
• Main Street Bridge (1891), spanning the Tankerhoosen River in Talcottville (Vernon), CT[11]
• Rice Farm Road Bridge (1892), Town Hwy. 62, off VT 30, Dummerston, VT, NRHP-listed
• Turn-of-River Bridge (1892), Old N. Stamford Rd. at the Rippowam River, Stamford, CT. A small lenticular pony truss bridge, NRHP-listed
• Lover's Leap Bridge (1895), a wrought-iron lenticular truss bridge over the Housatonic River, S of New Milford on Pumpkin Hill Rd., New Milford, CT, NRHP-listed
• Town Bridge (1895), over the Farmington River, Canton, CT, NRHP-listed[12]
• Neshanic Station Lenticular Truss Bridge (1896), over the South Branch Raritan River, Neshanic Station, New Jersey, NRHP-listed
• Several bridges in San Antonio, TX, including the Brackenridge Park Bridge (1890), the Augusta Street Bridge (1890), and the Crockett Street Bridge (1891).

Buildings

Detroit Dry Dock Company's machine shop in 1912 (right background), built in 1892

• Dry Dock Engine Works Machine Shop (1892), novel early example of building with load-bearing steel frame with non-load-bearing brick curtain walls, Detroit, Michigan
• Providence Gas Company Purifier House (1900), 200 Allens Ave., Providence, RI, NRHP-listed
• Beaman and Smith Company Mill (1898), steel-framed brick building at 20 Gordon Ave., Providence, RI, NRHP-listed
• Capewell Horse Nail Company (1903), 60-70 Popieluszko St., Hartford, CT, NRHP-listed (Berlin Iron Works)

References

1. "ROPER WHITNEY: About Us". www.roperwhitney.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
2. "History of Berlin Steel". www.berlinsteel.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
3. Knoblock, Glenn A. (2012-01-25). Historic Iron and Steel Bridges in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. McFarland. p. 159. ISBN 9780786486991.
4. "Mattabesset River Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. James Baughn & Contributors. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
5. "Sheffield Street Bridge". PAST. Public Archaeology Survey Team, Inc. Archived from the original on 5 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
6. "Highgate Falls Bridge". BridgeHunter. James Baughn & contributors. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
7. "Boardman's Bridge". PAST. Public Archaeology Survey Team, Inc. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
8. "Melrose Road Bridge". PAST. Public Archaeology Survey Team, Inc. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
9. "Minortown Road Bridge". Bridgehunter. James Baughn & Contributors. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
10. "Red Bridge". PAST. Public Archaeology Survey Team, Inc. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
11. Smith, Steve (4 Jun 2015). "Main Street bridge to get renovations". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
12. "Town Bridge". Town of Canton CT. Town of Canton, CT. Retrieved 19 July 2016.

External links

• Berlin Iron Bridge Company web presentation
• The Berlin Iron Bridge Co. Catalogue 1889 Kenneth Franzheim II Rare Books Room ,William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library, University of Houston Digital Library.