National Register of Historic Places

Sheffield Street Bridge

Waterbury, New Haven County, Connecticut
Listed
April 11, 2001
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
01000353

About this property

The Sheffield Street Bridge is a historic lenticular truss bridge spanning Hancock Brook in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. Built in 1884, it is a rare example of a wrought iron bridge built by the Berlin Iron Bridge Co., and one of the few surviving lenticular truss bridges left in the state. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The Sheffield Street Bridge is located in remote setting in northern Waterbury, off the end of Sheffield Street near a stone quarry. It spans Hancock Brook about 20 feet (6.1 m) above the water, and is mounted on stone abutments. It is 56 feet (17 m) long and 18 feet (5.5 m), and would normally carry two lanes of traffic, if its wooden deck was still usable. Its trusses are fashioned out of four-panel lenticular trusses, supported by posts on the abutments. The bridge was built in 1884, when this area had a much more substantial industrial presence. It was built by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company, one of the largest makers of steel and iron bridges in New England in the late 19th century. The bridge was deliberately built for heavy-duty use, to serve the industries in the area. Its design is typical of the company's early works, with wrought iron elements of the truss joined by pins instead of rivets. At the time of its listing on the National Register in 2001, it was one of only seventeen surviving lenticular truss bridges in the state, and one of the few that predates a period when their construction became more standardized. National Register of Historic Places listings in New Haven County, Connecticut

Location

Waterbury, New Haven County, Connecticut
41.59727, -73.04724

Categories

ENGINEERINGINDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Overlook Historic District
Listed
1.9 mi
Fulton, Lewis, Memorial Park
Listed
1.9 mi
Beth El Synagogue
Industrial
2.1 mi
Webster School
Industrial
2.3 mi
Bishop School
Industrial
2.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Sheffield Street Bridge listed on the National Register?

Sheffield Street Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 2001.

What type of historic resource is Sheffield Street Bridge?

Sheffield Street Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sheffield Street Bridge?

The period of significance for Sheffield Street Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Sheffield Street Bridge?

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