Hamden Bridge

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name = Hamden Bridge


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crosses = West Branch of the Delaware River
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Infobox_nrhp | name =Hamden Covered Bridge
nrhp_type =
locmapin = New York


caption =
location= Hamden, New York
lat_degrees = 42 | lat_minutes = 11 | lat_seconds = 43.93 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 74 | long_minutes = 59 | long_seconds = 19.28 | long_direction = W
area =
built =1859
architect= Robert Murray
architecture=
added = April 29, 1999 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = Local
refnum=99000502

Hamden Bridge is a covered bridge over the West Branch of the Delaware River in the hamlet of Hamden in Delaware County, New York. Built by Robert Murray in 1859, the convert|128|ft|m|sing=on-long Hamden Covered Bridge is one of the last three covered crossings maintained by Delaware County that still carry traffic across branches of the Delaware River. A contract to construct the bridge was signed between Mr. Murray and the Town of Hamden on April 27, 1859, for the sum of $1,000. The 1830 Long truss design used by Murray was patented by Colonel Stephen H. Long of Hopkinton, N.H. When originally constructed, the bridge was a single span, but in the 1940s, a center pier was installed for additional support.

During the early '60s the timbers and overhead bracing displayed signs for Kendall's Spavin Cure, Herrick's Pills and Ayer's Cherry Pectrol. The county repaired a lean in the bridge in 1966 by adding two large buttresses on each side, painted the bridge red and cut two new windows into each side allowing more light into the dark interior. In 1967, the portals had a diagonal appearance, but some time during the late '70s or early '80s the portals were squared off. Restoration of the Hamden Covered Bridge began in the summer of 2000, with contractor W. L. Kline, Inc. in charge. On July 19, while the bridge was being lifted off its abutments in preparation for the restoration project, the top chord broke and approximately one-third of the bridge had to be lowered into the river. Fortunately, the damage was not significant. Restoration went on to include replacement of the tin roof with a standing seam metal roof. Decayed bottom chords were replaced with a single convert|130|ft|m|sing=on glue-laminated chord manufactured by Unadilla Laminated Products in Unadilla, NY. To keep as much of the original Long truss as possible, some truss post members were relocated to accommodate stress levels in different areas of the bridge. Work continued through the fall, and on November 13, the bridge was moved back over the west branch of the Delaware River.

External links

* [http://www.nycoveredbridges.org/page13.html Hamden Bridge, at New York State Covered Bridge Society]
* [http://www.coveredbridgesite.com/ny/hamden.html Hamden Bridge, at Covered Bridges of the Northeast USA, a website developed by Hank Brickel]