Granite and bridges Port Deposit, Maryland

the gerry house built in 1812. lafayette entertained here in 1824.

the first attempts bridge susquehanna in maryland made port deposit bridge company, incorporated in 1808. attempts failed, legislature in 1812 authorized company proceed. after completing survey in 1813, included first written reference port deposit, company proposed location complied law longer necessary. after petitioning relief, company allowed route bridge closer falls, allowing 1,000 feet (300 m) shorter. port deposit bridge, wooden covered bridge, built north of port deposit between 1817 , 1818. put service in 1818, earliest bridge crossing of susquehanna. rebuilt after span burned in 1823, remained in service until 1857.

an 4 acres (16,000 m) site @ north end of port deposit condemned quarrying granite. (actually gneiss) bridges. general area had been site granite quarrying before bridge constructed there use of specific granite in buildings constructed before revolutionary war. granite can seen in many of distinctive buildings in port deposit today.

quarries opened here in 1829 proprietors of competitor canal, susquehanna , tidewater canal between havre de grace, maryland , wrightsville, pennsylvania, canal construction projects routed along opposite bank of susquehanna.

these quarries continued in service 20th century. port deposit gneiss used in:

many houses , 5 churches in port deposit
schools u.s. naval academy, haverford college , catholic university of america
fort mchenry, fort delaware , fort carroll
public buildings boston public library , u.s. treasury building
public works concord point lighthouse, lincoln tunnel , st augustine seawall




^ cite error: named reference johnston invoked never defined (see page).
^ formation known geologists port deposit gneiss. gneiss has granite-like appearance , had dark color , granular texture made easy work; prized building stone.
^ cite error: named reference susq invoked never defined (see page).