North Blenheim in Schoharie County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Blenheim Bridge
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 11, 2007
1. Blenheim Bridge Marker - North Blenheim, NY
The Old Blenheim Bridge, which spans the Schoharie Creek, is in the background. The modern Route 30 bridge curves off to the right of the photo.
Erected 1936 by New York State Education Department.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Notable Buildings • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Covered Bridges series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1828.
Location. 42° 28.386′ N, 74° 26.445′ W. Marker is in North Blenheim, New York, in Schoharie County. Marker is at the intersection of New York State Route 30 and Eastside Road, on the right when traveling north on State Route 30. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: North Blenheim NY 12131, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Old Blenheim Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Blenheim Bridge (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Creation (about 600 feet away); The Floods (about 600 feet away); The Life (about 600 feet away); The Re-Creation (about 600 feet away); a different marker also named Old Blenheim Bridge (about 600 feet away); Indian Trail (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in North Blenheim.
Regarding Blenheim Bridge.
this page online
It's interesting to note that the bridge was not built in place over the Schoharie Creek as most folks would imagine, but rather was assembled at a site nearby, to insure the pieces all fit together correctly. Afterwards it was disassembled and erected in its former location across the creek.
Local lore has it that while the stone abutments were being built one of the masons was sent to fetch a jug of whiskey. Before they got a chance to open the jug and imbibe, the president of the bridge company, J. Dickinson, who was a "teetotaller" (it's an archaic term by today’s standard, a tetotallar being someone
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, September 10, 2011
2. Blenheim Bridge Marker - Minus the Blenheim Bridge
The bridge was washed away and destroyed during record breaking flooding of the raging Schoharie Creek after Hurricane Irene on August 28, 2011. A few pieces of the wooden bridge remain wedged in the railings of the Route 30 bridge, just to the right of the marker.
The picturesque old bridge has had many adventures. It has been afire three times and is now insured like any ordinary house. Twice the roof caught fire from windblown sparks and embers from burning buildings in the village. And once, many years ago, when traveling tinkers went about mending pots and pans, carrying a small charcoal stove to heat their soldering irons, one of these tinkers went so sleep in the bridge and tipped his stove over. The hot coals ignited the wooden bridge but someone happened along in time to put the fire out and to sober up the "tinker" in the nearby river. – Schenectady Union-Star: Feb. 26, 1930
In late August of 2011, record flooding associated with the remnants of Hurricanes Irene and Lee hit the Schoharie River Valley. Classified as a 500-year flood, the valley sustained unprecedented devastation. One of the casualties was the Old Blenheim Bridge,
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 20, 2005
3. Blenheim Bridge
The west portal of the old Blenheim Covered Bridge as seen from the newest bridge over the Schoharie Creek.
Although the community has recovered some of the original bridge timbers from downstream, the property no longer retains its historic integrity. The Old Blenheim Bridge has ceased to meet the criteria for designation because the qualities which originally led it to be designated have been destroyed. The Landmark designation was withdrawn on July 21, 2015, and the property was also removed from the National Register of Historic Places.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. There are other Markers about this Bridge at the former site of the bridge portal.
Also see . . .
1. Blenheim Covered Bridge: A Bridge to History. New York Almanack website entry (Submitted on July 13, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Historic American Engineering Record for the Blenheim Covered Bridge. Library of Congress website entry (Submitted on October 2, 2008.)
3. Blenheim Bridge Replacement Underway. Daily Gazette website entry (Submitted on August 5, 2018, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York.)
Additional keywords. Covered Bridge Double Barrel Nicholas Montgomery Powers Tory William Beacraft Hurricane
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, circa April 20, 2005
4. The Old Blenheim Covered Bridge
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, September 27, 2008
5. Blenheim Bridge Interior Structure
The wooden Burr Arch, curving up amongst the interior woodwork in the center of the bridge, is responsible for carrying a major portion of the bridge load. The trusses are of Long Truss design. The center truss is higher than the two outside ones. The center truss encloses a single arch of oak which reaches from below the lower chord on up to the ridgepole at the peak of the roof. It is really three concentric arches, one on top of another, and carefully blocked together to allow air to circulate among them.
Historic American Building Survey
6. Old Blenheim Bridge Drawing Detail
This is a detail of a drawing from the Historical American Building Survey which shows the center arch of the bridge. The arch rests on the bridge pier below the floor of the bridge and curves all the way up to underside of the peak of the roof.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, September 27, 2008
7. Blenheim Bridge - A National Historic Landmark
The Old Blenheim Bridge was named a National Historic Landmark on January 29, 1964. This interpretive sign stands near the other markers at the east portal of the bridge.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, September 10, 2011
8. Blenheim Bridge Abutments
The bridge abutments are all that remain in place after the flooding.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, September 10, 2011
9. Blenheim Bridge Debris
This pile of debris at the side of the road is all that remains here of the bridge. Pieces of the bridge and its green sheet metal roofing can be seen strewn, a little here, a little there, along the banks of the creek for quite a ways down stream. The marker remains standing, just beyond, at the end of the Route 30 bridge over the creek.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, September 10, 2011
10. North Blenheim Historic District Damaged
These buildings in the North Blenheim Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, show that the Blenheim Bridge was not the only structure in this neigborhood to suffer in the flooding on July 28, 2011.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, August 4, 2018
11. The New Blenheim Bridge
In 2018 the new Blenheim Bridge was up, and about 14 feet higher than the old one, nearing the end of a $6.7M project.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, 2005/2018
12. The Old and the New...
Credits. This page was last revised on November 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 28, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 2,125 times since then and 39 times this year. Last updated on September 10, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. Photos: 1. submitted on September 28, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 2. submitted on September 10, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 28, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 7. submitted on October 2, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 8, 9, 10. submitted on September 10, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 11, 12. submitted on August 5, 2018, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
