Congress Street Bascule Bridge, Spanning Fort Point Channel at Congress Street, Boston, Suffolk County, MA
Summary
Significance: The Congress Street Bridge, built in 1930, is a trunnion bascule bridge and the most recent of the five movable-truss bridges spanning the Fort Point Channel. It replaced a steam operated swing draw and was electrically operated. / The Congress Street Bascule Bridge is one of the few surviving electrically-operated Strauss overhead-counterweight bascule drawbridges with a Warren-with-verticals pony truss. The masonry piers are carried above deck level and are topped with ornamental lanterns which give the bridge a unique architectural character. Despite the loss of some of its operating equipment and deterioration of auxiliary structures (fenders), many original components (superstructure, lighting, gates, and operating machinery) remain. The Tender's House is incorporated within the Boston Tea Party Ship Museum, a prominent feature adjacent to the existing structure. The bridge is located in the proposed Fort Point Channel Historic District, which includes five surviving movable bridges.
Survey number: HAER MA-38
Building/structure dates: 1931 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1954 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1976 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1980 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1984 Subsequent Work
Tags
Date
Contributors
Location
Source
Copyright info