Raymondville Parabolic Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Raquette River at Raymondville, this 1886 metal through truss bridge links the hamlet on the west bank with the town of Norfolk on the east. Its clear span measures 288 feet, and its deck is 18 feet wide. Two pin-connected Warren trusses of nine panels each form the "parabolic" or lenticular profile, with a segmental arch upper chord and wrought-iron eye bars below. The Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut, manufactured and erected it using a design patented by engineer William O. Douglas of Binghamton. It is the longest single-span lenticular bridge the company built and the largest surviving example in New York State. The Warren truss layout is unusual among the firm's remaining spans. The bridge keeps its original portal cresting, maker's plaques and most of its decorative finials, though the deck was replaced in 1965 and concrete abutments replaced the stone ones. Closed to vehicles since 1979, it still serves pedestrians.
Significance in brief: It is the longest single-span lenticular ("parabolic") truss bridge the Berlin Iron Bridge Company ever built and the largest surviving example of its type in New York State. It uses the William O. Douglas patented design in a rare Warren truss form. It also retains unusual integrity and reflects innovation in post-Civil War American metal bridge building.
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 84002961, listed September 7, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Grant Rd. over Raquette River, Raymondville |
|---|---|
| County | St. Lawrence County |
| Listed | September 7, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002961 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1886 |
| Architect / builder | Berlin Iron Bridge Company |
| Architectural style | Lenticular ("parabolic") Warren through truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed to vehicular traffic since 1979; remains in use as a pedestrian crossing. Condition is listed as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.83978, -74.97940 (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 84002961.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7299278
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.