Presumpscot Falls Bridge, Spanning Presumptscot River at Allen Avenue extension, 0.75 mile west of U.S. Interstate 95, Falmouth, Cumberland County, ME

Significance: Constructed in 1913 by the Sanders Construction Co. for the Town of Falmouth at a cost of $15,167.38, the Presumpscot Falls Bridge is an open spandrel, reinforced concrete arch structure. At the time of its construction, it was the longest single cement span in the state. It is one of only two open spandrel concrete arch bridges in the State of Maine, the other being the Chisholm Park Bridge in Rumford, constructed in 1926. The first reinforced concrete arch bridge in the U.S. was in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, in 1889. The Presumpscot Falls Bridge represents an example of a type of bridge construction which was utilized from 1910-1930. The present structure represents perhaps the zenith of this style. The use of reinforced concrete lasted only until it was supplanted by reinforced steel, and therefore represents a brief period of material experimentation. This fact, coupled with its location in Maine, render this an important example.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N1502
Survey number: HAER ME-9
Building/structure dates: 1913 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1956-1957 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1994 Demolished