The Old Stone Arch Bridge contributes to an important surrounding natural and cultural landscape. In 2006 the Federal Highway Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation awarded the bridge a transportation enhancement grant, which resulted in the bridge’s rehabilitation, improved landscaping and pedestrian access, and bank stabilization. In 1979 the bridge was formally listed in the National Register of Historic Places, a distinction that grants special consideration for historic properties affected by federal projects. It was included in an 1860 collection of scenic Currier and Ives lithographic drawings and is currently featured on several websites that pinpoint scenic spots and historic bridges in the United States. The Old Stone Arch Bridge has long been viewed as both a beautiful structure and a historic property worthy of preservation. As the use of automobiles increased, the old turnpike was designated in 1916 as part of the William Penn Highway, a major east-west road crossing the center of the state. In the 1850s the Pennsylvania Railroad laid tracks on the south side of the river, further cementing Mifflin County’s role as a transportation hub. Both the Harrisburg-to-Pittsburgh turnpike and the canal ran along the north side of the river and were important early routes of commerce. Located just southeast of Lewistown at the base of Shade Mountain, it lies close to both the Juniata River and the path of the Main Line Canal (Juniata Division), which operated from 1834 to 1888. The single-span, semielliptical stone bridge with curving abutments was built without a keystone but has stood for more than 200 years. Construction of this segment of the road began in Lewistown and was completed to Harrisburg in 1825. The Old Stone Arch Bridge over Jack’s Creek in Derry Township, Mifflin County, captured in this c.1937 postcard, has been enhancing travelers’ journeys ever since 1813, when it was built as part of the first turnpike to connect Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.
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