Barrel Arch Bridge – Lorton, Virginia - Atlas Obscura
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Barrel Arch Bridge

Lorton, Virginia

This unique structure is the only one of its kind in Virginia. 

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Barrel Arch Bridge sign blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Closeup of the arch blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Bike/walking path leading up to Barrel Arch Bridge. blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Top of bridge leading toward Barrett House. blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
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This bridge was built in 1946 by imprisoned laborers from the nearby Lorton Workhouse using bricks made in their brickyard. It is the only structure of its kind in the state of Virginia.

Known as voussoir arch bridges (so named for the wedge-shaped or tapered stones used to construct arches) or barrel arch bridges (due to the resemblance to the inside of a wooden barrel), this complex building style is among the strongest and most durable forms. (One of the oldest examples is the Caravan Bridge, which spans the Meles River in Turkey, and dates back to 850 B.C. It is one of the oldest human-made structures in continuous use.)

The Barrel Arch Bridge in Lorton is 23 feet wide and produces an interesting echo effect for those traveling underneath it. The bridge originally crossed a spur of the Lorton & Occoquan Railroad, but the passage is now a recreational trail, and atop the bridge is another trail that runs between historic Barrett House and Central Green at Laurel Hill Park.

Know Before You Go

The "shortcut" from the top of the bridge to the bottom is a rather steep grade. A nearby trail makes for a slightly longer but decidedly safer descent to the walking trail below.

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Standing for over 200 years, the abandoned home of a Revolutionary War hero and later a succession of prison superintendents.
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