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Jug Bridge

These picture were shot between 1933 and 1941 (when the bridge suddenly collapsed).

Photo courtesy of the Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress, HABS,MD,11-FRED.V,5-2. View to the southeast. This is a great picture showing the eastern bank of the Monocacy River. What I find interesting is how empty the landscape was back then. It was if someone had applied defoliants to the area. Today, this area is lush with vegetation. The trees and undergrowth are so thick, you would never be able to duplicate this photo. Note the billboard on the east bank.

Photo courtesy of the Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress, HABS,MD,11-FRED.V,5-3. View to the northeast. A great shot of the underside of the bridge's arches. There is no visible indication that the bridge was not able to sustain automotive traffic. Yet, in 1941, the bridge tumbled into the Monocacy River without any warning.

Photo courtesy of the Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress, HABS,MD,11-FRED.V,5-4. View to the northeast. Another view of the bridges arches.

Photo courtesy of the Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress, HABS,MD,11-FRED.V,5-5. View to the northwest. Utility poles on the bridge's south side.

Photo courtesy of the Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress, HABS,MD,11-FRED.V,5-6. The "Jug." View to the west. When this bridge was constructed, an Irish stonemason created this "jug" out of some remaining material. Atop the jug, inscriptions were set honoring Edward Braddock and the Marquis de Lafayette who both traveled through this area. Legend had it that the Irish mason enclosed a jug of Irish whisky inside the ornamentation. For about 150 years, no one really knew if that story was true. When the jug was relocated to a roadside park at the top of the distant hill, no whisky bottle was found. Ah... I wish they hadn't of told anyone the truth. Legends are often better than reality.

Photo courtesy of the Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress, HABS,MD,11-FRED.V,5-7. Close-up of the "Jug."

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