Casselman Bridge State Park

About Casselman Bridge State Park

East of Grantsville, the historic Casselman River Bridge bears a striking resemblance to the original Casselsman Bridge on the Ohio River. Originally built in 1813-14, this beautiful stone arched bridge once served as an old national road connecting Cumberland, Maryland and the Ohio River with the rest of the United States.

The bridge crosses the Casselsman River, an area that some have called a "small crossing" since 1755. The first inn was built by Joseph Tomlinson, one of the first whites to settle in the area when the French were driven out of North America. Braddock led his army into what is now Pittsburgh and fortified the river at the "little intersection." After he was defeated by the French, his armies retreated over the bridge to the United States.

The ford and the road it crossed became a major thoroughfare for westbound travelers, and it is one of the oldest bridges in the United States.

In the late 17th century, mills and farmhouses were built at the intersection, and the Casselman River Bridge was one of many improvements that were built along the road. In the early 19th century, the federal government launched an ambitious internal improvement program that included extensive road construction to hold the fledgling republic together. The National Road project was a capital improvement programme aimed at modernising Braddock Road.

At the time of construction, the 80-foot wingspan was the largest of its kind in America, and it was necessary because the proposed Chesapeake and Ohio Canals would pass under the bridge and other important waterways.

To the surprise of many, the bridge did not collapse, and a public celebration was held on the day workers removed the load - load-bearing wood.

Stagecoaches, charioteers and pilgrims crossed the bridge, and the small crossing became a busy commercial centre. Along the way, other buildings were erected, including an inn that is still preserved as Penn's Alps Hotel.

The introduction of the railroad in the 1840s led to lower travel costs, and the bridge continued to operate until US Route 40 became an important east-west artery as a national road. The national road faded into the background, but was revived at the beginning of the 20th century, when federal grants were available for road upgrades to accommodate new means of transportation.

In 1933, a new steel bridge was built over the Casselman River, and the old stone bridge was partially restored by the state of Maryland in the mid-1950s. It is now part of Maryland State Park and a popular tourist attraction.