Raymondville Parabolic Bridge

The Raymondville Parabolic Bridge is an iron arch structure that crosses the Raquette River in St Lawrence County. Its lenticular truss design features a distinctive curved form that was engineered to span the waterway efficiently.

Built in 1886 by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company of Connecticut, the bridge demonstrates engineering methods of that period. It served as a vital crossing for traffic and commerce in the region for nearly a century.

The bridge shows how engineering innovation helped connect remote communities and enabled the movement of goods and people across the river. It represents a turning point when iron structures replaced older wooden crossings in rural areas.

The bridge is accessible on foot from both riverbanks, offering good views of its iron structure and arches. Since the deck has been closed to vehicle traffic since 1979, walking along the approach areas provides the best vantage point to examine the engineering.

The bridge was manufactured by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company, a factory that produced hundreds of similar iron structures across North America. This company pioneered mass production of standardized bridges that could be transported and assembled in remote locations.