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Oxford
and York Counties, Maine
(WGN 19-09-05/19-16-01)
(WGCB ME-09-05/ME-16-01): (c. 1858; renovated 1999)
Two-span Paddleford truss strengthened with laminated wooded arches 152'
over the Ossipee River. Located: 0.5 mile south of Porter,
Maine. Directions: From Porter, Maine go west 0.5 mile on ST
25 to left just before ST 25 and ST 160 intersect. The bridge is
visible from ST 25 as well as the new bridge on ST 160. There is
parking on both ends of the bridge. Many heavy repairs and renovations
over the years leave little of the original bridge intact. One of
the greatest changes was the addition of the Laminated Arches that were
made with twenty pieces of two inch lumber. Cables are attached to
the bridge and secured to the shore to insure that high waters on the Ossipee
River will not wash the bridge away. It was closed to traffic in
1960 when the new bridge was built upstream and is currently open to pedestrian
traffic only. It is interesting to note that a new plaque on
the bridge indicate it was built in 1876, but the Maine Department of Transportation
web site lists the construction date as 1859. Other records indicate
the bridge was built in 1858. The bridge was built by the towns of
Porter, Maine and Parsonsfield, Maine as a joint project and is the only
Maine covered bridge that connects two counties. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 1970. (Sep 2003) |
