Cartersville Bridge, Route 25, spanning James River, Cartersville, Cumberland County, Virginia
Summary
Significance: Built in 1884, the Cartersville Bridge is an unusual example of composite truss construction. Located where Va. Route 45 crosses the James River, the center four spans of the bridge were washed away by Hurricane Agnes on June 22, 1972. Fortunately, the two spans adjacent to the shore lines remained intact and today they are owned and preserved by the Cartersville Bridge Association of Goochland County. The bridge was located at a site with a long history of crossings. Construction first took place in 1820 with the erection of a series of Burr arch trusses by David Scott under contract to the Virginia Board of Public Works. The superstructure proved to be faulty and collapsed within a few years but the rough cut ashlar and rubble piers and abutments were utilized in the 1884 bridge and still exist today. In 1841, the famous engineer Claudius Crozet filed a report in concern with replacing the 1822 structure. In 1842, it was destroyed and the Richmond and Allegany Railroad Company agreed to build a bridge on the site. At this time, three separate bridges across the James River were to be built by the Richmond and Allegany Railroad Company and then turned over to Goochland and Botetourt County respectively. Dan Diebler, employee of the Virginia Highway and Transportation Research Council stated that these bridges were to be used to provide vehicular access across the river, particularly to facilitate the use of the railroad by persons on both sides of the river.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N1515
Survey number: HAER VA-11
Building/structure dates: 1884 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1972 Demolished
Building/structure dates: 1955 Subsequent Work
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