Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Street Stone Arch Bridges
Why it's listed
Three single-arch limestone bridges carry Sixth, Seventh and Tenth Streets over the Town Branch of Cassell Creek, just south of Charleston's Courthouse Square. Built around 1895, they were the work of Alexander Briggs, a local stonemason trained in Europe, who used squared local limestone from quarries along the Embarras River, a little over three miles east. The arches have spans of roughly 19 to 20 feet, with barrel tunnels about 44 to 60 feet long, stepped wing walls and capstoned parapets. Streets above were later paved in brick and then asphalt, and sidewalks were added over time. The bridges were built while Charleston was expanding, with new subdivisions, brick paving and a new teacher training school. They are valued for their engineering and for the use of local materials and labor. They remain in good to fair condition and still carry one-way traffic, though they are partly hidden from passing motorists and pedestrians.
Significance in brief: The bridges are locally significant under Criterion C for engineering. They are similar single-span stone arch bridges built with local limestone by a local European-trained stonemason. They were built during a period of rapid growth in Charleston and retain most of their historic integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 01000869, listed August 8, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 700 blks of Sixth, Seventh and Tenth Sts., Charleston |
|---|---|
| County | Coles County |
| Listed | August 8, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000869 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Alexander Briggs (stonemason) |
| Architectural style | Other: Stone Arch Bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Bridges are in good to fair condition and still carry traffic on through streets; Sixth is good, Seventh fair, Tenth good-to-fair. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.49294, -88.17299 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 01000869.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16900257
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.