Poinsett Bridge

National Register Listing

Street Address:

About 4 mi. N of Tigerville on CR 42, Tigerville, SC City Vicinity (Greenville County)

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NRHP Nomination

Record Number:

S10817723003

Description and Narrative:

Constructed in 1820, the Poinsett Bridge is one of the oldest spans extant in South Carolina. Its impressive construction of wedge shaped rocks, erected without concrete, has pointed Gothic arches that are rare in the state today. The bridge was part of the State Road from Charleston through Columbia to North Carolina that was designed in 1817-1819 by Joel Poinsett, director of the South Carolina Board of Public Works. The bridge was named in his honor. Poinsett also served as Secretary of War, Minister to Mexico, and first president of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, forerunner of the Smithsonian. It is believed that Robert Mills designed the bridge. Mills became State Architect and Engineer for the South Carolina Board of Public Works in 1820. A brush drawing by Mills of a bridge with Gothic arches and keystone identical to those of Poinsett Bridge lends credence to the belief that Mills designed the bridge. Listed in the National Register October 22, 1970.

Period of Significance:

1820

Level of Significance:

State

Area of Significance:

Architecture;Archeology: Historic - Aboriginal;Engineering;Transportation

National Register Determination:

listed

Date of Certification:

October 22 1970

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