Swing Bridge
Also known as: Bin #3-33597-0
Why it's listed
Spanning the AuSable River in the middle of Keeseville, New York, this steel pedestrian suspension bridge connects Front Street and South AuSable Street. It was built in 1888 by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut, and replaced three earlier footbridges on the site, including one that collapsed in 1842 with the loss of five lives and another whose wooden towers burned in 1878. The present bridge is 343 feet long with a 237-foot span, lattice-braced steel towers and five-strand wire cables, set on stone abutments. It is one of roughly ten bridges of its type made by the company and one of only two known survivors. The bridge also served the village's mills, shops and homes for over a century and remains in pedestrian use. It was named a Civil Engineering Landmark in 1987 and is recognised for its transportation role and its engineering.
Significance in brief: The bridge is a rare, well-preserved late-19th-century pedestrian suspension bridge in New York State. It was one of about ten of its type built by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company and one of only two known survivors. It also linked the industrial, commercial and residential parts of Keeseville for more than 100 years.
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 99001322, listed November 12, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Over AuSable R. between Clinton and S. AuSable Sts., Keeseville |
|---|---|
| County | Clinton County |
| Listed | November 12, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001322 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1888-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Berlin Iron Bridge Company |
| Architectural style | OTHER: Pedestrian suspension bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a pedestrian footbridge; the wood deck was replaced with steel grating at an unknown date, probably late 20th century. The form says it retains a high level of integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Keeseville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 44.50369, -73.48243 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 99001322.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7658545
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.