Mastodon

Goose Creek Stone Bridge

Melissa and I went for a nice afternoon drive down some of the wonderful country roads in Loudoun, Prince William, and Fauquier Counties today. Along the way we stopped at the Goose Creek Stone Bridge, which is located just north of the Loudoun/Fauquier border to the west of Middleburg, Virginia. It was built some time between 1801 and 1803 to carry the Ashby’s Gap Turnpike, and it is among the oldest and longest remaining stone turnpike bridges in Virginia. In June 1863, it was the site of a battle between advancing Union and retreating Confederate troops.

When U.S. 50 was built, replacing the Ashby’s Gap Turnpike through this area, it was routed slightly further south on a modern bridge . . . but thankfully, unlike countless other historic bridges, this one was not torn down. The property is now owned and maintained by the Fauquier-Loudon Garden Club and is open to the public.

Scott Bradford has been putting his opinions on his website since 1995—before most people knew what a website was. He has been a professional web developer in the public- and private-sector for over twenty years. He is an independent constitutional conservative who believes in human rights and limited government, and a Catholic Christian whose beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. He loves Pink Floyd and can play the bass guitar . . . sort-of. He’s a husband, pet lover, amateur radio operator, and classic AMC/Jeep enthusiast.