To find one of the most stunning examples of engineering craftmanship on Mount Desert Island, you only need to walk about two miles up the eastern carriage road from the main entrance to Little Long Pond.
The Cobblestone Bridge spans majestically over the rushing waters of Jordan Stream near the border of Acadia National Park. It was the first of 16 bridges constructed along the carriage roads on Mount Desert Island. Built in 1917, the bridge was designed by New York architect William Welles Bosworth, a friend of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and is the only bridge on MDI to be made of cobblestones over reinforced concrete.
At nearly 100 years old, the Preserve felt it was time to give this distinguished landmark some well-deserved restoration.
Based on a report from the Bridge Inspection and Management Program of the Federal Highway Administration, the main issue was erosion around the bridge’s east abutment that exposed the protective apron. To address this, the Preserve assembled a multi-disciplinary internal team to move, position, and set in place large boulders to protect the bridge from further erosion.
“We had our machine operators lifting the stones from the carriage road over the top of the bridge,” said Jesse Hartson, Director of Facilities at the Preserve. “The natural lands crew set up a pully system to maneuver stones into place.”
This is the kind of work that happens all around the Preserve all year long. It requires technical skill, precision, and careful planning. While much of this work goes unnoticed by visitors, it is a testament to the Preserve’s dedication to safeguarding the iconic landscapes and landmarks that make this place extraordinary.
Comments