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Bridge over Deerfield River, Shelburne Falls, Mass.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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Shelburne Falls is a village comprised of the business districts of Buckland and Shelburne, Massachusetts. Bridges like this were critical to the economic and social well being of the village. The first bridge on this site succumbed to a massive flood in 1869, which destroyed mills and factory buildings along the Deerfield River. The next year the town had a new bridge built on the same site - "Hertel's Patent Parabolic Iron Truss Bridge." Within a short time this bridge collapsed under the weight of a collection of horses and wagons carrying goods from one side to the other. Finally, the village hired Edward S. Shaw, an important engineer of the time, to design a bridge that would span the 320 feet needed and support the comings and goings of horse and wagon transport. The result was a collection of three Warren Through Trusses that have held sturdy to this day. <BR> <BR>The arches you see under the bridge are actually part of the structure behind it. This bridge has simple pillar legs.

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