Hitt Bridge Marker

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Near Keedysville in Washington County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Hitt Bridge

By Craig Swain, September 17, 2007

1. Hitt Bridge Marker

A little battered, but standing.

Inscription. This three-arch span with its unusually high center arch was built in 1830 over a ford in the Antietam Creek that was used by Braddock's army in 1755. Samuel Hitt was instrumental in financing this bridge, which was built by Silas Harry, as agent for John Weaver, at a cost of only $1,413.66. This ford was later chosen by Hitt as the site of his grist and sawmill, now known as Pry's Mill.

Erected by Washington County Historical Advisory Committee.

Marker series. This marker is included in the Maryland, Washington County Historical Advisory Committee marker series.

Location. 39° 29.272′ N, 77° 42.817′ W. Marker is near Keedysville, Maryland, in Washington County. Marker is on Keedysville Road, on the right when traveling west. Click for map. Located at the east end of the Hitt Bridge. Marker is in this post office area: Keedysville MD 21756, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hitt-Cost House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pry Mill (approx. 0.2 miles away); Civil War Hospital Site (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pry’s Mill Bridge (approx. 0.5 miles away); Hess’s Mill Bridge (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Civil War Hospital Site (approx. 0.8 miles away); Keedysville (approx. 0.8 miles away); Second Army Corps (approx. 0.9 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in Keedysville.

The East Approaches to the Hitt Bridge Photo, Click for full size

By Craig Swain, September 17, 2007

2. The East Approaches to the Hitt Bridge

Regarding Hitt Bridge. The Hitt Bridge is better known as the "Upper" or "Hooker" Bridge, a significant crossing point of Antietam Creek during the Battle of Antietam.

Also see . . . Stone Arch Bridges of Washington County. (Submitted on October 28, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Additional comments.
1. Battle of Antietam
On the day before the Battle, September 16, 1862, at around 4 p.m., Gen. Joseph Hooker's Federal I Corps crossed Antietam Creek here and just to the south at Pry's Mill Ford. This placed Hooker's men in position to the north of the Confederate line. The next day, these troops would initiate the Battle of Antietam with their early morning attack. Since the bridge was on the northern section of the battlefield, the historical name handed down has been "Upper Bridge," and occasionally "Hooker's Bridge," instead of the more proper Hitt Bridge. The construction of this bridge is very similar to the more famous "Lower" or "Burnsides" Bridge also on the Antietam battlefield.