Goose Creek Bridge - Loudoun County, VA
N 38° 58.914 W 077° 49.258
18S E 255644 N 4318553
Goose Creek Bridge is an abandoned stone bridge in western Loudoun County built at the beginning of the 19th century with ties to the Civil War.
Waymark Code: WM36XB
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 02/19/2008
Views: 82
Goose Creek Bridge is a four arch stone bridge in western Loudoun County built between 1801 and 1810. Per information provided on location: "It is the longest remaining stone turnpike bridge in the state and one of the oldest in the Commonwealth."
The bridge was originally part of the Aldie-Ashby's Gap Turnpike and operated by the company until 1922 when the Commonwealth took over the bridge and added it to the U.S. 50 corridor. The bridge was decommissioned in the 1950's when a new bridge was built across Goose Creek less than a mile away. During the Civil War, a short artillery battle occurred between Confederate forces on their way towards Gettysburg and Union troops in the area. Only lasting a couple of hours, Union troops prevailed and secured the bridge.
It is constructed from rubble fieldstone. Architectural detail of note includes stone buttresses between each arch. The entire bridge slopes east to west.
The site is easily accessible down a gravel road off of Route 50, immediately on the west side of the newer bridge. A sign indicates the turn from the westbound lane. There is a small parking area above and inline with the original turnpike routing. There is a gravel sloped path down to an observation area. There is also an informational plaque about the skirmish during the Gettysburg campaign of the Civil War. Visitors can sign a spiral notebook visitors' log located opposite of the Civil War informational plaque.
Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Loudoun County, Virginia
Road, Highway, Street, etc.: Bridge is closed to all traffic.
Water or other terrain spanned: Goose Creek and surrounding pasture land
Construction Date: 1801-1810
Architect/Builder: Not listed
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