Pilgrim's Progress Road Bridge
Why it's listed
Carrying Miller (Pilgrim's Progress) Road over the Landsman Kill in a wooded, undeveloped part of Rhinebeck, this triple-arched bridge was built of mortared random fieldstone around 1858. Its three barrel arches use dressed cut-stone voussoirs without keystones, a result of the traditional method of supporting the arches on timber falsework until the mortar set. Bluestone coping and a steel post-and-pipe railing run along the roadway. The structure measures 94 feet long and 18 feet 1 inch wide. Much of its stone is said to have come from the Schuyler grist mill, demolished in 1858, and the bridge served the Salisbury Turnpike link between eastern Dutchess County farmland and Rhinebeck village. Even though timber and iron were common bridge materials by the 1850s, builders here followed Hudson Valley stonework practices dating to the early eighteenth century. It is one of two surviving bridges of its type and period in the town, and it is still used by vehicles.
Significance in brief: The bridge is argued to be a rare surviving mid-nineteenth century engineering and transportation structure in Rhinebeck. It is one of only two extant stone arch bridges of its type and period in the town, the other being the Salisbury Turnpike Bridge. It reflects vernacular fieldstone masonry traditions of the mid-Hudson Valley and has continued in its original use.
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 87001102, listed July 9, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Miller Rd. S of NY 308, Rhinebeck |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | July 9, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001102 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Vernacular triple-arch stone masonry bridge |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is rated fair; the bridge remains in use as a vehicular bridge and is on its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.93967, -73.88014 (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 87001102.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7193911
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.