Historic Highway Bridges in Maryland: 1631-1960, Historic Context Report
The "Historic Highway Bridges in Maryland: 1631-1960: Historic Context Report" examines the history of bridge building from the colonial period to the recent past. Ten types of construction (arch, beam, cantilever, girder, movable, rigid frame, slab, suspension, timber and truss) and four types of materials (wood, stone, concrete and metal) characterize Maryland's bridges. The context provides an overview and history of road, bridge and highway development; a discussion of government agencies which controlled the roads and bridges; images and three appendices which contain a timetable; list of bridge designers who were active in Maryland; and CDEs for each bridge type. SHA uses this context to compile its historic bridge inventory and to evaluate each bridge for inclusion in the National Register. Others can use this context to assess the historical significance of a bridge. The type groupings allow a reviewer to compare a resource against a similar structure in the state or a county.