National Register of Historic Places

Rio Piedras Bridge

San Juan, San Juan County, Puerto Rico
Listed
July 18, 1995
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
95000832

About this property

The Río Piedras Bridge (Spanish: Puente de Río Piedras) or Piedras River Bridge (Puente del Río Piedras), also designated as Bridge #3, is a historic 19th-century barrel vault bridge located in the former town of Río Piedras, today part of the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, that spans across the Piedras River. The bridge was built in 1853 as part of the development of the Carretera Central that linked San Juan to Ponce, making it the oldest still-existing bridge of said route. Today the bridge is still stable and usable, and it can be found near the entrance of the University of Puerto Rico Botanical Garden. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and on the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones in 2000, and it is considered to be the best-preserved example of a Spanish masonry arch bridge anywhere in Puerto Rico and the United States.

Location

San Juan, San Juan County, Puerto Rico
18.39774, -66.05529

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONENGINEERING
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Rio Piedras Bridge

This page lists Rio Piedras Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Rio Piedras Bridge report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Edificio Comunidad de Orgullo Gay de Puerto Rico
Industrial
0.3 mi
Casa Vigil
Industrial
0.4 mi
Rum Pilot Plant
Industrial
0.5 mi
Acueducto de San Juan (San Juan Waterworks) (Additional Documentation)
Listed
0.5 mi
University of Puerto Rico Tower and Quadrangle
Industrial
0.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Naval Bombardment of San Juan (Puerto Rico)
1898Frontier
5.7 mi
Ponce de León Conquest of Puerto Rico 1508
1508Colonial
5.7 mi
Carib Raids on Puerto Rico 1514–1530
1514Colonial
5.7 mi
Bombardment of San Juan (Puerto Rico 1898)
1898Frontier
5.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rio Piedras Bridge listed on the National Register?

Rio Piedras Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 18, 1995.

What type of historic resource is Rio Piedras Bridge?

Rio Piedras Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rio Piedras Bridge?

The period of significance for Rio Piedras Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Rio Piedras Bridge?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Rio Piedras Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More historic places in Puerto Rico

Browse all historic places in Puerto Rico.

View Puerto Ricohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Puerto Rico history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Puerto Ricohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Rio Piedras Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report