Marysville Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Marysville Bridge was a railroad crossing of the Susquehanna River
between Marysville, Pennsylvania
and Dauphin, Pennsylvania
. It was built in 1858 and demolished in 1903. Its piers still remain in the river; one of them bears a small-scale replica of the Statue of Liberty
.
built north up the Susquehanna River from Baltimore, Maryland to the coal regions, it had to cross from the west to the east bank of the Susquehanna. The chosen crossing site was at the Dauphin Narrows, between Marysville on the west and Dauphin on the east. The bridge was finished in 1858, allowing the Northern Central to haul coal from Sunbury, Pennsylvania
to Baltimore. However, the construction of a line from Dauphin to Rockville
and the takeover of the Northern Central by the Pennsylvania Railroad
in 1875 resulted in most Northern Central traffic being rerouted over the PRR's Rockville Bridge
a short distance downstream.
The Marysville Bridge was allowed to fall into decay, and removed in 1902 or 1903 after a period of disuse. Some of the piers remain above water today, while others are submerged or washed away.
was erected on one of its piers in the Dauphin Narrows of the Susquehanna River. The replica was built by Gene Stilp
, a local activist. It was made of venetian blinds and stood 18 feet (5.5 m) tall. Six years later, after it was destroyed in a windstorm, it was rebuilt by Stilp and other local citizens, of wood, metal, glass and fiberglass, to a height of 25 feet (7.6 m).
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
between Marysville, Pennsylvania
Marysville, Pennsylvania
Marysville is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,425 in July 2008. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and Dauphin, Pennsylvania
Dauphin, Pennsylvania
Dauphin is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 791 at the 2010 census. Dauphin's ZIP code is 17018. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Dauphin is located at...
. It was built in 1858 and demolished in 1903. Its piers still remain in the river; one of them bears a small-scale replica of the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
.
Marysville Bridge
As the Northern Central RailwayNorthern Central Railway
The Northern Central Railway was a Class I Railroad connecting Baltimore, Maryland with Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861, when the PRR acquired a controlling interest in the Northern Central's stock to compete with the...
built north up the Susquehanna River from Baltimore, Maryland to the coal regions, it had to cross from the west to the east bank of the Susquehanna. The chosen crossing site was at the Dauphin Narrows, between Marysville on the west and Dauphin on the east. The bridge was finished in 1858, allowing the Northern Central to haul coal from Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census...
to Baltimore. However, the construction of a line from Dauphin to Rockville
Rockville, Pennsylvania
Rockville is an unincorporated community in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States, at latitude 40.336 and longitude -76.905. The elevation is 328 feet...
and the takeover of the Northern Central by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
in 1875 resulted in most Northern Central traffic being rerouted over the PRR's Rockville Bridge
Rockville Bridge
The Rockville Bridge, at the time of its completion in 1902, was, and still remains, the longest stone masonry arch railroad viaduct in the world. Constructed between 1900 - 1902 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, it has forty-eight 70-foot spans, for a total length of 3,820 feet .The bridge crosses...
a short distance downstream.
The Marysville Bridge was allowed to fall into decay, and removed in 1902 or 1903 after a period of disuse. Some of the piers remain above water today, while others are submerged or washed away.
Dauphin Narrows Statue of Liberty
On July 2, 1986 a replica of the Statue of LibertyStatue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
was erected on one of its piers in the Dauphin Narrows of the Susquehanna River. The replica was built by Gene Stilp
Gene Stilp
Gene Stilp is a political activist from Pennsylvania. He is best known for opposing the 2005 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise controversy and his use of props during political protests.-Political advocacy:...
, a local activist. It was made of venetian blinds and stood 18 feet (5.5 m) tall. Six years later, after it was destroyed in a windstorm, it was rebuilt by Stilp and other local citizens, of wood, metal, glass and fiberglass, to a height of 25 feet (7.6 m).