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Gurney Road Bridge Restoration

The Freetown Board of Selectmen, in conjunction with the Freetown Historical Commission, is interested in restoring a nineteenth century culvert located on Gurney Road in East Freetown, Massachusetts. This culvert is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

This is a well-preserved early nineteenth century dry laid uncoursed granite rubble culvert with a single semicircular arch, roughly worked voussoirs, and large, ashlar, stone-faced granite blocks at the top. It is a significant feature in the historic landscape of the East Freetown Historic District. The culvert is the only culvert in East Freetown that remains from the Town-wide building effort undertaken between 1820 to 1824, and it is understood that the heavy masonry construction was required to carry the loads of iron "pigs" carted by oxen over Fall Brook to supply the Providence Foundry Company furnace. This bridge is a critical visual link to the industrial development of East Freetown and merits preservation as a rare surviving example of Freetown's early industrial past.

The Massachusetts Historical Commission has strongly encouraged the Town to preserve this historic culvert.

The Freetown Historical Commission plans to apply to the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund, a state funded 50% reimbursable matching grant program offered through the Massachusetts Historical Commission. To be eligible for this grant we must guarantee 50% of the amount requested. Please make a donation and/or show your support by becoming a member today!

Correspondence: (MS-Word)

1998 Aug 27 -- Letter to Mr. Bernard McCourt, District Highway Engineer Mass. Highway Department from Freetown Selectmen requesting review for decision to close the bridge


1998 Sept 15 -- Reply from Bemard E. McCourt - District 5 Highway Director; Thomas F. Brodericic - Chief Engineer; Alexander K. Bardow - Bridge Engineer explaining decision to keep bridge closed


2000 Aug 01 -- Letter from Judith B. McDonough Executive Director Historic Preservation Officer Massachusetts Historical Commission to Freetown Historical Commission


Gurney Road Bridge Restoration


Local, state, national designation:
National Register and local landmark.

Date of construction:
1820

Date of renovation:


Historic district:
Yes


Cost estimate:
n/a

Source of funding

Local: n/a
State: n/a
Federal: n/a
Private: n/a
Tax credits: n/a

Problems and/or threats:
1. Restoration of historic resource.

2. Traffic pattern has changed in surrounding area. Response time for emergency vehicles has increased several minutes due to bridge closing.

3. Other bridges in town could face same problem.

Community response: