Main Street Bridge, Main Street East, spanning Genesee River, Rochester, Monroe County, NY
Summary
Significance: The present Main Street Bridge is the fourth bridge to occupy this site since 1812. Main Street is and has been throughout its history the primary commercial and business thoroughfare for the City of Rochester, thus this bridge has provided a crucial link in communication and transportation between both sides of the Genesee River. Beginning with the second river crossing of 1824, a phenomenon occurred which was rare in the United States: buildings were gradually built over the river and connected to the bridge. This relationship between bridge and building continued with subsequent crossings. The buildings erected alongside the current Main Street bridge were demolished in the mid-1960's. Incorporated into crowns of four of the five stone arches are cast iron arches supporting water mains. The date the cast iron was installed is not known. This bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-41
Survey number: HAER NY-175
Building/structure dates: 1857 Initial Construction
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 84000303
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