Suspension Bridges Crossing Lehigh River

This is a list of all 8 bridges from the suspension bridge inventory crossing Lehigh River. Please note that different rivers with the same name will be grouped together. For example, selecting 'Bear Creek' shows bridges across several different Bear Creeks. Also, similarly named rivers are grouped separately. For example, 'River Dee' (UK) bridges are grouped separately from 'Dee River' (Australia) bridges. Wherever you see a Bridgemeister ID number click it to isolate the bridge on its own page.

Related Lists:

1811: Third Street

Easton, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:18 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1811
Name:Third Street
Location:Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Principals:Jacob Blumer (?)
References:CAB, DSE20000203
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Chain (iron)

External Links:


1814: Hamilton Street

Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:19 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1814
Name:Hamilton Street
Location:Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Principals:Jacob Blumer
References:AAJ, CAB, DSE20000203, PTS2
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Suspended Spans:4
Main Spans:2
Side Spans:2

External Links:


1824: Biery's

Biery's Port (Catasauqua), Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:21 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1824
Name:Biery's
Location:Biery's Port (Catasauqua), Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Principals:Jacob Blumer, George Deily (?)
References:CAB, DSE20000203
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Chain (iron)

1824: Lehigh Gap

Lehigh Gap, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:22 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1824
Name:Lehigh Gap
Also Known As:Palmerton
Location:Lehigh Gap, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Principals:Jacob Blumer
References:AAJ, CAB, DSE20000203, WHSB
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1933
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Suspended Spans:3

Notes:

  • Finley patent bridge.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1857: Change

Glendon, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:56 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Change
Also Known As:Chain, Lehigh Canal Swinging, Wire Towing Path at Pool No. 8
Location:Glendon, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Coordinates:40.65382 N 75.24774 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co., E.A. Douglas
References:HAERPA461, HBP
Use:Footbridge and Change
Status:Derelict (last checked: 2007)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:2

Notes:

  • Often mistakenly called a "chain" bridge, this is a "change" bridge.

External Links:

  • Aldrich Change Bridge. Dale Oswald explains (in the context of the Aldrich Change Bridge, a non-suspension bridge in Palmyra, New York): "A change bridge is one with low railings and an underpass that allowed draft teams to move from one side of the canal to the other without unhitching, cloverleaf-style."
Photo by David Denenberg

1886: Lower

Easton, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:813 (added 2003-05-29)
Year Completed:1886
Name:Lower
Location:Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
References:DSL20030414, WGE20030513
Use:Footbridge
Status:Demolished, 1951
Main Cables:Wire

Notes:

  • Damaged by windstorm 1950.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1888: Tidewater Pipeline

Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:1527 (added 2004-10-24)
Year Completed:1888
Name:Tidewater Pipeline
Location:Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Coordinates:40.90714 N 75.748544 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:William Hildenbrand
References:AAJ, HBE
Use:Pipeline
Status:Extant (last checked: 2020)
Main Cables:Wire
Main Span:1 x 109.7 meters (360 feet)

Notes:

  • The town was named "Mauch Chunk" at the time the pipeline was built.
Photo by Wayne Grodkiewicz

1900: Upper

Easton, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:366 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1900
Name:Upper
Location:Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Principals:Henry G. Tyrell, John McNeal
References:AAJ, DSL20030414, EN19001122, HBE, PTS2, WGE20030513
Use:Footbridge
Status:Demolished, 1955
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Spans:2 x 85 meters (279 feet)
Side Span:1 x 33.5 meters (110 feet)

Notes:

  • According to Tyrell, "[It] joins Dock Street on the lower side of the river with Glendon Avenue on the upper side, 90 feet above it. To overcome this difference in elevation of the two ends without incurring excessive expense for approach, the bridge floor was made to descend on a grade of 7.2 per cent from the upper bank to meet stairs rising from Dock Street..."
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg


Do you have any information or photos for these bridges that you would like to share? Please email david.denenberg@bridgemeister.com.


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