New Bridge

The Route 9 Keeseville Bridge (known as the New Bridge): Nice view of the 1843 Stone Arch Bridge

Owner: New York State

Built – Late 1950s

Description (Information provided by Sean Reines)

Driving south into downtown Keeseville via Route 9/Front Street, this bridge crosses the Ausable River. Known officially as the “Route 9 Keeseville Bridge,” this span is often referred to locally as the “New Bridge” because it is, by far, Keeseville’s newest bridge by virtue of its late 1950s construction (Keeseville’s other 3 bridges all date to the 19^th century). As you cross the span going south, look to the right and a short distance upriver is the 1843 Stone Arch Bridge, which carries Main Street across the Ausable River. The Arch Bridge is said to be the second longest freestanding stone structure in America, its distinctive soaring arch design a direct response to the flood potential of the Ausable River. The bridge, like other buildings in town, is made of sandstone quarried from the riverbed.

In the late 1950s, the State of New York built the Route 9 Keeseville Bridge to connect Route 9 and Front Street. A major purpose of the project was to divert the heavy volume of Route 9 car and truck traffic away from the Stone Arch Bridge, one of Keeseville’s precious historic gems. Before it was built, southbound Route 9 motorists entered downtown Keeseville via Ausable Street. At the North Ausable Street-Main Street intersection, Route 9 turned left onto Main and crossed the Stone Arch Bridge. Then, at the corner of Main Street and Front Street, Route 9 turned right and followed Front Street south through downtown and to points beyond. Besides reducing the vehicle load on the Arch Bridge, the new Route 9 Keeseville crossing provided Route 9 motorists with a faster, more direct and safer route through downtown.

What else you can see from here . . .

From the Route 9 Keeseville Bridge, you can also see (near the Arch Bridge), the back sides of some historic buildings along Main Street. The white building (closest to the river), constructed in 1870, has always served as a bank. After the charter for the Essex County Bank expired in 1862, Keeseville had no bank until construction of this building. Today, it is a TD Bank branch. For many years previously, it was the Keeseville Bank, or Keeseville National Bank. Adjacent to the bank is the prodigious Masonic Hall (Ausable River Lodge No. 149), built around 1852 as a Presbyterian Church (later organized as the First Congregational Church). Constructed of local river sandstone (like the Arch Bridge), its massive form dominates the downtown visual scene. The Masonic Hall stands at the corner of the north end of Ausable Street and Main Street.

For southbound motorists, this view offers a quick peek, a sort of “introduction,” to some of the interesting sights to be seen in Keeseville—if you take the time to look around and indulge in the rich history and architecture that awaits your discovery in and around downtown.

Soon after crossing the New Bridge, you will come to the intersection of Route 9/Front Street and Main Street. Once there, you are in Keeseville’s Historic District, a collection of historically and architecturally significant 19^th and early 20^th century buildings and structures important to Keeseville’s community history. The Keeseville Historic District was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

A right turn by car (or better yet, on foot) onto Main Street takes you across the Stone Arch Bridge and by the fronts of the 1870 bank building and the 1852 Masonic Hall/old Presbyterian Church.

In fact, Keeseville is a highly “walkable” community and the best way to experience and enjoy it is on foot. Park your car along Front Street—usually, no problem finding a spot. Main Street takes you across the Stone Arch Bridge, and “face-to-face” with the 1870 bank building and the impressive Presbyterian Church/Masonic Hall. Excellent views of the Stone Arch Bridge, the 1870 bank, and the Presbyterian Church/Masonic Hall and other historic buildings can also be had from Riverside Park and the 1878 pedestrian “Swing” Bridge. Use either the Stone Arch Bridge or the Swing Bridge to re-cross the river and return to your car.

As you walk, you will hear the Ausable River, its tumbling waters the power source that made Keeseville an important 19^th and early 20^th century regional manufacturing center.

During that time, power dams harnessed the river’s energy to power machinery that made things in factories along the river that people needed and used. With the age of water powered industry now long past, the distinctive sound of the river’s swift and constant flow is a reminder of the natural advantages that attracted settlers and industry, and made Keeseville an important place.

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Where Route 9/Front Street intersects Main Street, a turn by car (or better yet, on foot) onto Main Street takes you across the Stone Arch Bridge and by the fronts of the 1870 bank building and the 1852 Masonic Hall/old Presbyterian Church.

As you walk, you will hear the murmur of the Ausable River, its tumbling waters the power source that made Keeseville an important 19^th and early 20^th century regional manufacturing center.

New Bridge

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