Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge Construction
The Great Connector
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 30, 2019
1. Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge Construction Marker
The bridge's cantilevered spans are supported on only one end by rectangular truss spans (left). The traveling derrick on top of the bridge was used as a temporary work station to construct the bridge's structural system.
Background photograph from the B.L. Rudberg collection in memory of the late Austin McEntee, who preserved these photographs for posterity.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Bridges & Viaducts.
Location. 41° 42.636′ N, 73° 56.54′ W. Marker is in Poughkeepsie, New York, in Dutchess County. It can be reached from Parker Avenue (New York State Route 9G) Ό mile east of Washington Street ( Route 9G), on the left when traveling east. Marker is mounted at knee-level on the north railing of the old Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge, about 9/10 mile west of the Parker Avenue parking lot for Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 49 Parker Avenue, Poughkeepsie NY 12601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York and in the Hudson Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Main Street Ferry Landing (here, next to this marker); The Fall Kill (within shouting distance of this marker); Mid-Hudson Bridge Suspension Cables (within shouting
this page online
More about this marker. Originally built in 1889, today the repurposed Poughkeepsie Highland Railroad Bridge carries a scenic pedestrian walkway over the Hudson River.
Regarding Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge Construction. Engineers had to devise solutions to such physical obstacles as a deep, wide tidal river, great depth to bearing rock, height of the palisades, and the great length (6,767 feet) of the structure. The bridge's length was a record for a steel structure as was its 546 foot channel span. The track is 212 feet above the water and the length of structure over water is 2,260 feet, the rest being over part of the City of Poughkeepsie.
Also see . . .
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 30, 2019
2. Railroad Bridge Construction Marker wide view
(Hudson River in background)
(Hudson River in background)
1. Poughkeepsie-Highland Bridge. American Society of Civil Engineers website entry (Submitted on May 24, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge - National Archives. National Register of Historic Places documentation (Submitted on January 29, 2024, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 29, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 328 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 10, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
