National Register of Historic Places

Thompson's Bridge

Allen's Mills, Franklin County, Maine
Listed
March 22, 1991
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
91000321

About this property

Thompson's Bridge is a historic stone bridge in rural Franklin County, Maine. Built c. 1808, it is one of a very small number of surviving stone lintel bridges in the state, a type that were once quite common. It carries a local dirt road across Josiah Creek in the Allen's Mills section of Industry, and is located near (and possibly on) the border with neighboring Somerset County. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. The bridge abutments consist of local fieldstone arranged in dry laid courses. The main span consists of large granite slabs laid across the narrow opening between the abutments. A layer of earth is built above these slabs, supporting the dirt roadway, which is about 10 feet (3.0 m) wide. The southern abutment has extensive wingwalls, giving that structure a total width of about 20 feet (6.1 m). The road which the bridge carries was probably laid out in 1808, during the early period of Industry's settlement. John Thompson had a house and established a grist mill nearby in 1805. The area had been abandoned by the late 19th century, and the roadway south of the bridge is unmaintained and in deteriorated condition. In a 1924 survey, the state identified more than 100 of this type of bridge; as of 1987, only three were known to survive in relatively unaltered condition. The bridge is also one of the town of Industry's oldest structures; its oldest surviving building has an estimated construction date of 1820.

Location

Allen's Mills, Franklin County, Maine
44.72660, -70.00656

Categories

ENGINEERINGEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
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

Ingalls House
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4.8 mi
Thatcher, Henry Knox, House
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Mercer Union Meetinghouse
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5 mi
New Sharon Bridge
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6.1 mi
New Sharon Congregational Church
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Nearby Battles

Norridgewock Raid 1722
1722Colonial
10.2 mi
Dummer's War – Battle of Norridgewock
1724Colonial
10.4 mi
Battle of Norridgewock
1724Colonial
10.4 mi
Battle of Norridgewock 1724
1724Colonial
10.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Thompson's Bridge listed on the National Register?

Thompson's Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 22, 1991.

What type of historic resource is Thompson's Bridge?

Thompson's Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Thompson's Bridge?

The period of significance for Thompson's Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

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