Item 77: Engraving of “Bridge at WilkesBarre,” by unknown, (removed to Print Box #5), [ca. mid eighteenth century]

Item — Box: 21, Folder: 77

Staff Only

Engraving of “Bridge at WilkesBarre,” by unknown (removed to Print Box #5), no date

Dates

Created: [ca. mid eighteenth century]

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Engraving

Condition Note:

Poor, very faded, paper edge is ripped

Measurements:

12 ½ in. x 5 ¼ in.

Title:

Bridge at WilkesBarre

Description:

An engraving of what may be an older version of the Market Street Bridge going across the Susquehanna. Wilkes-Barre is located in northeastern Pennsylvania in Luzerne county. It was founded in 1769 and re-incorporated as a city in 1869. The city’s rich coal mining history employed thousands of immigrants in the 19th century. The mining of anthracite coal was popular until the Knox Mine disaster that ultimately accelerated the collapse of the industry after World War II. The Wyoming Valley was originally inhabited by the Shawnee and Lenape Native Americans prior to its new settlement. The Susquehanna River is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and covers much of Pennsylvania. It stretches 444 miles long, making it the longest river on the East Coast, and the 16th largest river in the United States. The river is made up of two main branches including the North Branch and the West Branch. The river drains 27,500 square miles that includes much of Pennsylvania. The river empties into the northern part of the Chesapeake Bay. The date for the manuscript has been estimated to the mid-nineteenth century or prior due to the construction of the bridge. By the late nineteenth century, the market street bridge had undergone a restoration after a wind storm damaged a greater part of the original wooden structure. The bridge was replaced with a studier, iron construction. The appearance of the bridge was altered for the inclusion of the steel arches on either side of the bridge. This was later replaced with Thomas Atherton and fellow architects Carre and Hastings added the prominent stone Eagles at the two entrances of the bridge during the twentieth century’s “city-beautification” movement (The Historical Marker Database). To see the developing structure and plans for the market street bridge, check out the Library of Congress’ digital archives.