1907 Rockville Bridge Harrisburg Pennsylvania Vintage Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

Immerse yourself in a marvel of industrial engineering with this sweeping view of the Rockville Bridge spanning the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg. Completed in 1902 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, this massive structure holds the title of the longest stone masonry arch railroad bridge in the world. Stretching 3,820 feet across the water, it features forty-eight 70-foot arches constructed from over 220,000 tons of local sandstone. This postcard captures the bridge in its early twentieth-century prime, reflecting its importance as a vital artery for rail traffic. The serene river reflection and the rugged backdrop of the surrounding mountains highlight the strength and enduring legacy of this National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Details

Era: Divided Back (c. 1907–1910)
City: Harrisburg (Rockville)
State or Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Country: United States
Topic: Rockville Bridge, Longest Stone Arch Bridge, Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania Railroad History, Industrial Engineering Landmarks
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: divided back
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Artist / Photographer: Unknown
Publisher: Aristophot Co. (Taucha, Saxony & New York)
Printer: Printed in Germany
Print Type: Halftone Lithograph

Additional Information

The publisher imprint identifies the firm as the Aristophot Co., with locations in Taucha, Saxony, and New York. This specific partnership allowed for high-quality German printing of American landmarks. While the bridge was completed in 1902, the divided back format of this card narrows the manufacture date to after the March 1907 postal regulation change. The green ink used for the reverse side and the specific T-bar divider are characteristic of Aristophot productions from the late first decade of the 1900s.

The Rockville Bridge was designed to replace an earlier iron structure to handle the increasing weight of heavy freight. This "bridge built to last forever" remains a working monument to the industrial might of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

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