Bridges

With two rivers running through its limits, the Brandywine and Christina, Wilmington has its share of bridges.  Nearly all of the city's bridges are visually appealing and interesting, including even the usually banal Interstate Highway bridges so common across the United States.  Brandywine Park acts as a very picturesque backdrop for most of the city's bridges; however, even the utilitarian bascule bridges over the Christina have their appeal.

Washington Street Bridge

The Washington Street Bridge was built in 1920-21 in memorium of Delaware's soldiers who fought and died in wars foreign and domestic.  Designed by Vance W. Torbert, the bridge has four obelisks dedicated to Delaware's soldiers who fought and died in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and the Great War.

Hidden in the mid-summer foliage, the Washington Street Bridge rises from the Brandywine.  Wilmington Hospital is seen through the haze on a soupy July afternoon.

Walking the path in Brandywine Park takes you beneath the hulking arches.

In my opinion, the most interesting part of the bridge is this stairway.  I've never seen the lantern that was once on the corner of the landing, but I'd imagine it would look similar to the ones on the obelisks that flank the roadway.  Hopefully, any future refurbishment will replace it.

Van Buren Street Bridge

The Van Buren Street Bridge was built in 1906 and is the only example of a Melan arch in the state of Delaware.  Underneath the paint and concrete is essentially a steel arch bridge built of re-bar (that's what makes it a Melan design).  Also, buried within the bridge is a water main that carries water from the Porter reservoir to the Water Works on 16th and Market Streets.

Others

This footbridge was built for the mill workers who lived on the south bank (foreground) and worked at the flour mills on the north bank.  The pier to the left is part of the massive Brandywine Viaduct built by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

A small iron bridge that carries Park Drive across the old raceway.  The raceway was used to power the many flour mills along the Brandywine.  To the extreme left is one of the overflow gates.  These are still used to this day.  The building in the center is, I believe, a Friends meeting house.  The Friends were a sect of the Quakers.  The Hercules building reflects the hazy July sky in the background.

The buttresses on this bridge make it pretty unique.  I don't know of any others in the city, or the state.  The bridge carries Park Drive over a path in Brandywine Park.  I don't know what was bridged here, there is no road, or stream.

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