Up in the northeastern United States stand the oldest bridges that remain in service today, according to federal bridge inventory data.

Bridges are interwoven into the history of our country, as they were crucial to the battles that ensured our freedom, the movement of people to share information, and the transfer of goods that made settlements possible.

Stone arch bridges were widely used at the time, as they were stronger than wood, but within the realm of possibility with the simplistic construction techniques available to the early Americans. They have withstood the testament of time, as they continue to support our transportation networks through the current day.

As we celebrate 250 years of independence, let’s take a look at the structures that the early Americans relied on to lay the foundation of the country we know today, ranked by construction date.

10. Thomas Viaduct – Relay, Md. (1835)

The first multiple-span masonry arch bridge built in the United States, and the first to be built on a curved alignment continues to carry active rail traffic. Serving as a critical point along the B&O Railroad during the Civil War, it provided Washington, D.C.’s only direct rail connection to the north, and a main link to Harpers Ferry and the west. If destroyed during the war, all rail traffic to the north would have been disconnected. At the time of construction, the cost of the bridge was $142,236.51

9. Military Road Bridge over Mill Creek – Jefferson County, N.Y. (1817)

Survivors of the Revolutionary War greeted President James Monroe at this historic bridge in August 2017. He received a 19-gun salute upon his arrival in Sackets Harbor. During routine maintenance in 2001, a portion of the end right retaining wall collapsed while a sinkhole behind the wall was being filled. The one-lane bridge continues to carry vehicular traffic today.

8. Perkiomen Bridge – Collegeville, Penn. (1798-1799)

First constructed in 1799, the stone arch bridge spans Perkiomen Creek in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. The project was funded with $20,000 from a lottery. The bridge is outfitted with rounded columns on its northern side and shorter angular columns on the south side. The structure was widened in 1928, and is scheduled to undergo a rehabilitation in April 2027 that will prevent further deterioration and restore it to good condition. Construction is expected to be completed in July 2028.

7. Centre Avenue Bridge – Newtown Township, Penn. (1796)

The double-stone arch bridge has played a critical role for Newtown’s commerce for over two centuries. It’s significance to the area continues today, as it carries approximately 4,254 vehicles over Newtown Creek daily. Following a bridge strike, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation conducted repairs to the crossing’s masonry. It’s accompanying pedestrian walkway underwent replacement in early 2024.

6. Stony Brook Bridge aka Route 206 Bridges over Stony Brook – Princeton, N.J. (1792)

This historic stone arch bridge was born from the ashes of an earlier wooden bridge that was burned by Washington’s troops to obstruct the British following the Battles of Trenton. The triple masonry arch structure was widened in 1916 and carries State Highway 206. Preservationists contend that heavy tractor-trailer traffic threatens the crossing’s sensitive structural integrity. The Stony Brook Bridge is the oldest state-owned bridge still in use in New Jersey.  Following a partial parapet collapse in February 2016, the structure was closed for emergency repairs, but reopened shortly after.

5. Skippack Bridge a.k.a. Germantown Pike Bridge – Montgomery County, Penn. (1792)

The eight-arch stone bridge carries Germantown Pike over Skippack Creek and was constructed to provide the area access to the Philadelphia market, when it was developed by William Penn. The structure is possibly the oldest bridge to have retained its original dimensions. According to the state of Pennsylvania, the Skippack Bridge is the oldest bridge in continuous, heavy use in the country. The structure is located in Evansburg State Park.

4. Trinity Lane Bridge – Upper Merion Township, Penn. (1789)

Carrying Trinity Lane over Gulph Mills Creek, this structure still carries 7,000 vehicles per day. After its first reconstruction in 1980, PennDOT completed another rehabilitation in 2021. Crew utilized the original salvaged stone to complete masonry repairs and installed new guardrails and resurfaced the roadway. The bridge’s original plaque was also preserved. The crossing is 22 feet long and 34 feet wide.

3. Adams St./Neponset River Bridge – Boston, Mass. (1765)

This stone-slab and stone-arch bridge was designed by notable 19^th-century engineer and inventor, Gridley Bryant, who is known for the Granite Railway. This structure is a model for the important role the granite industry played in the development of Milton and neighboring Quincy. The crossing has undergone some updates when it was first constructed. The original structure was a two-span wooden bridge with approach spans of stone-slab construction. Connecting the town of Milton, and at the time the town of Dorchester (now part of Boston), both municipalities took on construction of their own approach spans and shared costs for the wooden bridge.

Adam Street served as the sole through road connecting Boston, Dorchester, Milton, Quincy and other South Shore communities until 1803, and was formerly known as the County Highway.

2. Choate Bridge – Ipswich, Mass. (1764)

The span is considered the oldest documented two-span masonry arch bridge and the oldest extant bridge in the state of Massachusetts, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. It is the oldest documented double-stone-arch bridge in North America. Carrying routes 1A and 133, the bridge continues to carry between 10,000 and 20,000 vehicles each day. It was designed by Colonel John Choate at no cost after the wooden cart bridge previously in its place was deemed inefficient as a frequent victim of floods and rot.

1. Frankford Avenue Bridge – Philadelphia, Penn. (1697)

The country’s oldest stone arch bridge still in service and likely the oldest bridge anywhere in the country, the Frankford Avenue Bridge played a crucial part in the American Revolution. In April 1775, an express rider crossed the bridge to share news of the Battle of Lexington and the beginning of the American Revolution. Male members of the surrounding area each contributed funds or labor to make the construction of the bridge possible. It was initially intended to carry one of America’s first highways, the King’s Highway, but was deemed too narrow at only 18 feet wide — barely enough room for two teams of horses to pass one another. It was widened in 1893 for trolley traffic, and again in 1950 to accommodate vehicles.

More than two centuries later, these bridges remain working pieces of American history. Their continued use speaks not only to the skill of early builders, but also to the importance of preserving the infrastructure that helped connect a young nation and still supports the movement of people and goods today.