Be A Bridge To The Future
Help us restore a rare 19th-century stone arch bridge before it’s lost forever.
Help Bridge the future
The Hollow Brook Bridge is a quiet monument to the way we once built: carefully, locally, and with lasting purpose.
But time is catching up.
For nearly 150 years, this hand-laid stone arch has endured floods, frost, and the slow pressure of roots and rain. Now, its balance is starting to give.
A void has opened near the crown. Mortar is crumbling. Capstones have gone missing. The eastern wall leans. Each storm shifts more stones, and the damage quietly grows.
Still, the arch holds.
But it won’t hold forever.
We have a narrow window to act. With the right care, we can stabilize the structure, restore its strength, and protect this rare 19th-century bridge before it’s too late.
Your support can help save it — not just as a crossing, but as a lasting symbol of care and resilience.
Bridge at a Glance
Nestled in a quiet forest, the bridge’s single-span segmental arch rises over 17 feet, showcasing a practical design perfected long before modern materials. Crafted from local granite and gneiss, each wedge-shaped stone was placed by hand to follow the land’s slope.
Its 18-degree skew reflects how the road once curved naturally through the terrain. Bound with clay-rich mortar and anchored by intact keystones, the bridge continues to demonstrate that thoughtful, site-specific design can endure for centuries.
Location
Hollow Brook Preserve, Fairmount Road East, Tewksbury Township
Built
Circa 1875–1900
Style
Northern Hunterdon County Type 1 stone arch
Materials
Granite & gneiss fieldstone; clay-lime mortar; 1930s Portland cement
Span
17′‑2″ segmental arch at 18° skew
Roadway Width
19′ between parapets
Total Length
41′ (upstream)
44′ (downstream)
Condition
Fair — missing 2 barrel sections;
27% capstones lost; minor wall shifts
Significance
Eligible for National Register (Criterion C)
Ownership
Tewksbury Land Trust (since 2017)
Access
Closed to traffic since 1930
Restoration Plan
Two-phase project; SHPO/SOI Standards; Phase 1 planned Fall 2025
What’s At Risk
The Hollow Brook Bridge is showing unmistakable signs of structural failure.
A breach has opened near the arch’s crown. The eastern wing wall leans outward. Eight capstones are missing. The clay and lime mortar has failed in several places, and 20th-century cement patches are now causing more harm than good.
Walls are bowing. Joints are opening. Every storm brings new damage.
This isn’t just surface wear — it’s the slow structural unraveling of 150 years of craftsmanship.
Your donation funds the preservation of the Hollow Brook Bridge — from hand-repointed mortar joints to the careful resetting of stonework.
Together, we’re restoring structural integrity while honoring the craftsmanship that built it.
Help us restore this rare 19th century stone arch bridge.
Our online giving portal is launching soon.
How the Bridge Holds Together
Anatomy of the Arch
This 17-foot, single-span arch isn’t held together by concrete or rebar. It’s held by gravity and geometry. Each wedge-shaped stone presses into the next, with a keystone locking it all in place.
The arch rises to match the slope of the land. Wing walls support the hill. Spandrel walls hold up the roadway.
It’s a smart design. The more weight it bears, the tighter it holds — until something shifts.
That balance is now in danger.
Explore the video to see how the structure fits together — and how we’ll repair it using the same methods that built it.
The more weight it bears, the tighter it holds. Until something shifts.
Coming Soon: How the Bridge Holds Together
A short video is in the works that will illustrate how the Hollow Brook Bridge was built — and where it's beginning to fail.
Using motion graphics and real-world footage, we’ll show:
How the arch supports itself without concrete or rebar
Where structural voids have formed over time
Why any repair must follow the bridge’s original physics
Check back soon to watch the full breakdown.
The Path Forward
Preservation and fundraising move together — each step supporting the next.
2023 - 2024
Research & Documentation
Historic maps, field surveys, and engineering insight revealed the bridge’s rare design — and serious structural risks.
2024 - 2025
Structural
Assessment
Two major voids. Arch instability. Wing wall displacement. Engineers confirmed urgent preservation is needed.
Fall 2025
Phase 1: Arch & Wall Stabilization
We’ll stabilize the arch and rebuild the eastern wing wall using lime mortar and traditional stonework techniques.
2026
Phase 2: Full Restoration
We’ll repoint, repair, and reopen the bridge — and install signage to share its story with the public.
Why This Bridge Matters
Hand-laid in the 1800s, it reflects a time when construction followed the contours of the land. No nameplate. No ornament. Just functional elegance and local stone.
Because it was bypassed — not replaced — its form remains original.
The tool marks are still visible. The centering lines still echo the arch’s curve.
Stone by stone, it tells the story of how we once built — and why it’s worth saving.
From the Eyes of a Preservationist
With its 18-degree skew and single-course construction, the Hollow Brook Bridge is a study in vernacular engineering.
Each stone — locally sourced, hand-laid — was chosen not just for its fit, but for its purpose. Clay-lime mortar allowed for flexibility, breathability, and seasonal change.
The keystones still hold, but stress fractures are spreading.
Preserving this bridge means understanding how it was meant to fail — and how it was meant to last.
Where the Bridge Rests
The Hollow Brook Bridge lies hidden within the preserve that bears its name, spanning a quiet tributary of the Lamington River.
It once carried Fairmount–Pottersville Road — now a dirt trail softened by decades of leaf fall.
There are no shoulders. No guardrails. No pavement.
Only forest, stone, and silence.
The road fades. The forest returns. But the bridge still waits.
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