National Historic Landmark

Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad

Relay, Baltimore County, Maryland
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
66000388

About this property

The Thomas Viaduct is a viaduct that spans the Patapsco River and Patapsco Valley between Relay, Maryland and Elkridge, Maryland, USA. It was commissioned by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O); built between July 4, 1833, and July 4, 1835; and named for Philip E. Thomas, the company's first president. Some claim it to be the world's oldest multiple arched stone railroad bridge. However, the Sankey Viaduct on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened in 1830 and finally completed in 1833. At its completion, the Thomas Viaduct was the largest railroad bridge in the United States and the country's first multi-span masonry railroad bridge to be built on a curve. In 1964, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark. In 2010, the bridge was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The viaduct is now owned and operated by CSX Transportation and is still in use today, making it one of the oldest railroad bridges still in service.

Location

Relay, Baltimore County, Maryland
39.22199, -76.71321

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
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

Lawn, The
Industrial
0.3 mi
Elkridge Furnace Complex
Industrial
0.8 mi
Lawyers Hill Historic District
Listed
1.2 mi
Hilton
Industrial
2.4 mi
Hull Memorial Christian Church
Industrial
3.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad listed on the National Register?

Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad?

Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad?

The period of significance for Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad is recorded as the industrial era.

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