Neshanic Station Bridge

This Neshanic Station Bridge, also known as Elm Street Bridge, has been on my to-do list for several years. Every time I drive out to visit my brother-in-law in Annandale or stop in at Conclave Brewing for a pint I take a route that leads me through Hillsborough and Neshanic Station. On this occasion, I was returning from completing a photo project. I had spent the morning photographing from the banks of the south branch of the Raritan River in Clinton Township. On the drive out to Clinton, I slowed down and paid attention for potential places to park the car and made a mental note to stop on the way back.

Neshanic Station is an unincorporated community located within Branchburg Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. In 2016 most of the village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Neshanic Station Historic District.Wikipedia

The sun was lower in the sky when I started my return drive home. I parked on the shoulder of the road on the eastern side of the Raritan River. I could easily see the banks of the River. I grabbed my camera and tripod and made my way through the brush to the river bank. The snow or ice had melted, and the ground was muddy and slipper. I slid down to the river bank. I almost slide right in. My shoes were full of chunks of mud, but I set up my tripod and grabbed a few shots from a few locations.

So what do I know about this bridge? From what I gathered from various online sources The Elm Street Bridge is a lenticular truss bridge that carries Elm Street (Somerset County Route 667) over the river out of the community to River Road. Because of the length of the Raritan River, there are quite a few towns in New Jersey with a River Road.

The Elm Street Bridge (Neshanic Station Bridge) over the South Branch of the Raritan River, is a rare example of a lenticular, or parabolic, truss. The structure consists of two spans and is 285 feet in length. It was built in 1896 by the nationally known Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut. The Elm Street Bridge still retains its historical integrity and original design and is the best-preserved example of this type of truss bridge in the state. It was rehabilitated in 2007 by Somerset County.Visit Somerset County