Rocks Village Bridge

The Rocks Village Bridge is a very unusual and bizarre truss bridge. Most truss bridges have nearly identical trusses on each span, with slight modifications as needed to account for length or other site-specific conditions. This bridge has one main swing span, and five approach truss spans, with a total of five unique truss types. The trusses were built at different times, which may account for some of the differences.

A description of the spans from west to east (left to right in the above picture):

1. Riveted Pennsylvania through truss, 175’ long, built in 1895.

2. Riveted double-intersection Warren pony truss, 71’ long, built in 1883.

3. Rim-bearing, swing, through truss, 158’ long, built in 1883.

4. Riveted Pratt pony truss, 107’ long, built in 1914.

5. Riveted Pennsylvania through truss, 192’ long, built in 1914.

6. Riveted Pratt pony truss, 94’ long, built in 1914.

Span 3, the swing span, is an extremely old surviving example of a highway swing bridge (the oldest surviving swing span in the country was built in 1879). It is the oldest moveable bridge in Massachusetts and is still operated by hand. This span, along with span 2, are the oldest examples of highway truss bridges with riveted connections in the state and are some of the oldest in the country. Most of the truss bridges from this time are pin connected.

The Seats Ferry was operated at this location beginning in 1711. The rights to operate the ferry were authorized by the town of Haverhill to John Swett Jr. The rights were passed down the family to John Swett III in 1725 then to James White in 1778. White continued to operate the ferry until the first bridge was constructed in 1794, at which point he moved away.

Construction of the first bridge, named the Merrimack Bridge, began in 1794 and was completed on November 26, 1795. This bridge was constructed with a moveable span which was opened without cost to boats. The bridge was operated and maintained as a toll bridge by a group of private investors, called the Merrimack Bridge Company. However, the bridge did not raise nearly the revenue that had been hoped for, and the bridge was allowed to fall into disrepair. In 1813, a herd of one hundred cattle was being driven across the bridge and broke through one of the arches. The bridge was reconstructed, but it was destroyed in early spring of 1818 by a flood caused by heavy rains and snowmelt. During this flood, water was twenty-one feet above normal high water, causing flooding in the entire region.

After the bridge was destroyed, John Johnson began operating a ferry at this location. However, the ferry was not sufficient for the number of people who had relied on the bridge, and in 1828, the state authorized the construction of a new wooden covered bridge on the old foundations. The bridge was comprised of two Town lattice spans, with a wooden draw (moveable) span in the middle. It was completed in November of 1828.

The bridge was made public in 1868, and the toll was eliminated. By 1873, it was determined that the bridge was in bad condition, especially the wooden moveable span. The bridge was repaired, and a new iron moveable span was installed. In 1883, the moveable span was relocated and reconstructed, and a new iron swing span was installed. At the same time, the span immediately to the west of the swing span as also replaced. This resulted in the construction of the present-day Spans 2 and 3.

The bridge was replanked in 1890, and the two piers westerly piers were strengthened. From 1893 to 1894, the easterly spans were strengthened, but they remained wooden spans. In 1894, the westerly span was deemed unsafe, and it was replaced with a new iron span. This resulted in the construction of the present Span 1. At the same time, the abutment was replaced. The easterly spans remained a covered wooden bridge.

From 1912 to 1915, the easterly spans were torn down and replaced with steel spans, although residents tried to save the old wooden bridge. These spans have a concrete deck, with a brick wearing surface. These spans are the present Spans 4, 5, and 6. At the same time, the timber original timber deck and stringers on Span 1 were replaced with a reinforced concrete deck and steel stringers.

In 1941, the brick wearing surface on Spans 4, 5 and 6 was replaced with a bituminous concrete wearing surface, and in 1952, a bituminous wearing surface was added to Span 1.

By 1973 the bridge was in need of repairs and had capacity issues due to the increased traffic in the area. Plans were made to perform and environmental impact study to investigate bridge replacement alternatives. However, this study did not actually take place for 5 or 6 years. During this time, the bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (in 1976), and it was ultimately decided that the bridge would not be replaced.

The bridge was refurbished in 2014. This project included replacing the timber decking with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bridge decking. The bridge underwent another major rehabilitation from 2023 to 2024. This project included complete deck replacement, steel floorbeam and stringer replacement, steel truss repairs, complete deleading and paining of the superstructure, mechanical system replacement, and lighting upgrades, both roadway and navigational.