Perkiomen Bridge

The Perkiomen Bridge, originally built 1798-99 and widened in 1928, is one of the oldest stone arch bridges in the United States still in use. It crosses Perkiomen Creek near Collegeville, Pennsylvania. The bridge's six semi-circular arches cover a total of over 300 feet . The longest arch spans 76 feet . Its decorative piers and belts courses are unusual for a bridge this old. A lottery financed $20,000 of the original construction. The bridge carried the main road from Philadelphia to Reading, known at various times as the Manatawny Pike, Germantown Pike, the Philadelphia-Reading Pike, and US 422. Since the construction of the US 422 bypass, the road has been known as Ridge Pike or Old US 422.
The creek is about 150 feet wide and runs north and south near Collegeville. The road, however, runs northwest to southeast and the bridge crosses perpendicular to the creek causing a sharp turn in the road on the east side of the bridge, and a more gradual bend on the west side. As designed by John Lewis the bridge was 27 feet wide and 453 feet long including the approaches. Five arches cross the creek with the center arch 76 feet long, and the arches next to it 61 feet long. The outside arches are 30 feet long. Supporting the eastern approach is a sixth arch, 56 feet long, which is about 100 feet east of the creek.

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