The history and construction of the Jug Bridge near Frederick, Maryland.

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THE HISTORY AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE JUG BRIDGE NEAR
FREDERICK , MARYLAND

PRESENTED BY
MILTON L. SEAMAN

TO

BETA CHAPTER OF MARYLAND
TAU BETA PI

JANUARY. 16, 1931

. .- PC D G E ON N A T I O N A I ■- jHW^ FREDERICK Ml

r

THE HISTORY AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE JUG BRIDGE NEAR
FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

INTRODUCTION

Situated on the old Baltimore-Frederick turnpike
almost three miles east of Frederick over the Monocacy
River, Jug Bridge stands a monument to the enterprise,
foresight and engineering sKill of the early settlers
in Frederick County. Its stately arches of native
limestone and quaint demijohn of the same material be-
speak great age, and it is only upon close inspection
that recent touching up of the weather-beaten masonry
is seen.

EARLY HISTORY

The history of the structure is closely bound
with that of the road it serves, being built at the
same time and for the same company. The jug itself, as
seen in the photographs, bears inscriptions and is
certainly the most reliable source of information con-
cerning its early history. These inscriptions are as
follows: On one side of the square portion splitting the
ball .representing the stopoer of the jug, the name,
J m Cockey, appears while the adjoining edge bears the
the legend John E. Howard P-, on the three sides of the
small square portion immediately below the ball there
appears*

Monoquao Bridge Built of 1808

Cy. — Year 1809

4

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while on the next square part below there is:

John Ellicott of John George Baer Jefse Hollingsworth
Luke Tiernan John McPherson Thomas Lee

William Lorman John Graham Managers

and finally on the round part immediately below there

follows!

John Lewis Joseph Evans Jona Ellicott Leo Harbaugh

Sampler Super intendant First Produced a as Superintend
Secry. and of the Road Bold Plan Built the Bridge
surveyor of this bridge as it now stands

with 4 arches

65 span

The above are for the most part quite well preserved,
some of the writing being readable on the photographs. The
uppermost square parts are chipped, however, rendering the
parts indicated by dashes illegible.

That P-appearing after the name of John E. Howard is
part of an original inscription signifying "president" seems
certain; also that it applies to the name Jm Oockey as well
seems likely on the supposition that they were successive
presidents of the road company during the period of con-
struction.

Attention is called to the antique spelling of
Monocaey in the next line , vis., "Monoquaocy" , this
probably being the original Indian spelling of the word;
also the date of construction, 1803-1809.

Further light is cast upon the early history of the
structure by the following quotation from "The History of

Carroll ton Manor" by I. J. Grove. Mr. Grove says,

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"I might add right here, the old Jug Bridge was built
by a well known Frederick County man, Leonard Harbaugh,
for the turnpike company at a cost of $55,000. This
bridge will stand untill the hills around are torn to
pieces. Mr. Harbaugh was recognized as being one of the
best etone masons of his time. He had the confidence
and esteem of General George Washington. He built the
three locks at the Great Falls of the Potomac to make
the river navigable for long boats; the undertaking at
that time was thought to be an impossibility. From
Harpers Ferry he made the Shenandoah River navigable by
by building locks and cutting canals for upward of a
hundred miles above the Ferry. Mr. Harbaugh built many
stone buildings in Baltimore and Georgetown, and the
public buildings in Washington, including the President's
house before it was burned by the English in 1814.

The Jug Bridge, so called from the huge demijohn
that guards Its entrance, was started in 1807 and com-
pleted in 1808. This ancient bridge over the Monocacy
River defies the heavy traffic of the national Pike and
not a hint is heard of a. new structure. "

The discrepancy between the dates given on the jug
and those given by Mr. Jarboe is unexplainable inasmuch
as he, being a resident of Frederick, certainly had access
to that source of reference. John Thomas Scharf in his

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"Hi story of Western Maryland" gives the date of construc-
tion s.s 1808, and later says that the Baltimore-Frederick
turnpike was also completed in thst year. The weight of
evidence, however, would certainly lie with the record on
the jug as it was from all external evidences bu£lt as an
integral part of the bridge itself,

THE BALTIMORE-FREDERICK TURNPIKE .

No history of Jug Bridge would be complete without
some record of the old turnpike it was built to serve,
and continues to do with remarkable efficiency. This
road, now national Highway, Route 40, was built, as the
name "turnpike" signifies, by a private company and oper-
ated for toll by that company until taken over by the
state. As evidence of those days there still stands at
the west end of the bridge, at the start of the fill, a
toll house whose exposed beams, overhanging roof, and
walls at foot and a half or more in thickness, speak of
the days when teamsters hauled whiskey, flour and other
produce to Baltimore. And passing this point at the
start of a three of four day journey, were stopped by a
long pole across the road to pay the levy for the use of
the road.

That there was a need for such a road is shown by
the following quotation from Scharf "s: "In 1805 a turn-
pike from Baltimore to Frederick was commenced and car-
riages were substituted for horseback riding, which, owing

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to the inferiority of public roads, had previously been the
most popular mode of conveyance for both sexes. The turn-
pike was finished in 1808."

Further light is shed by the following quotation from
"History of Frederick County, Md." by T. J. C. Williams, we
read: "At a session of the legislature of 1804-1805 a corn-
was incorporated to build a turnpike road from Baltimore
through Frederick and Mlddletown to Boonsboro. On the
twenty- sec oid of April the company organized. All the shares
offered had been promptly taken. Jonathan Ellicott was
elected president. Joseph Swearingen, Henry P. Warfield and
James McPherson of Frederick County were among the directors.
In Nov., 1806, there was a meeting of the company which
authorized an increase of capital stock and elected Robert
Gilraor, Jr., president." And reading further in Scharf
we find the following list of officers of the Baltimre-
Frederick Turnpike Company elected May 13, 1805: President,
Jonathan Ellicott; Treasurer, William Cook; Managers, John
EcPherson, John Eager Howard, Samuel Smith, Thomas Sprigg,
John Ellicott of John, Solomon Etting, John Donne 11, George
Baer. The apparent discrepancies between these various
records probably merely indicate an everchanging personnel
rather than any real error in the records themselves.

Further history of the road shows an ever increasing
usefulness until today it forms an important link in the
great system of highways belting the continent. Since,

however, this history is concerned primarily with Jug Bridge

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itself, further discussion will be conf iie d to that structure.
LAFAYETTE'S VISIT TO FREDERICK

The next event of importance connected with the histori-
cal bridge is recorded on a bonze tablet, placed just east of
the bridge, about ninety feet from the jug; A photograph
of this tablet and the boulder on which it is placed is in-
cluded in this history. It reads, "General Lafayette, friend
of America and liberty, on his way to Frederick, D e cember 29,
1824, greeted by a delegation of citizens, including the gal-
lant Lawrence Everhart, who had come to escort him into the
city, Lafayette here made an address, expressing thanks for
his hearty welcome. Erected by Sergeant Lawrence Everhart,
Chapter - Sons of the American Revolution. September 17, 1926."

In the "History of Frederick County, Md. " by T. J. q.
Williams, the following quotation from "Fredericktown Herald"
of January 1, 1825, is found: "The General alighted on the
bridge and after several addresses of congr adulation to all
of which, with his usual felicity of manner, he made the
following reply: ' I am highly gratified, gentlemen, to greet
you in your happy valley, where agricultural and manufacturing
industry practiced by a rapidly increasing population, are
the reward of your patriotic and domestic virtue. Receive
my best thanks for your kind welcome, for your affecting
reverence, sir, to past time; for your affectionate wishes,
and to permit me to hasten to the revolutionary companions
whom you have had the much valued attention to bring with you. •

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Many introductions of the civil authorities and citizens
took place, the General ascended an elegant barouche { for
which, we, the committee, are indebted to the polite attention of
Mr. John Cockey) , drawn by four beautiful, black horses, richly
harnessed and attended by two postillions and four groomsmen
in white dress and blue sashes***."

The above reception was followed by festivities which
lasted far into the night, for every one in Frederick was
anxious to do honor to this friend of America, a citizen of
Maryland by special act of the Legislature.

THE BATTLE OF THE MONOCACY

The next reference found to Jug Bridge is in connection
with the battle of the Monocacy (July 9, 1S64) , in which it
formed a strategic point in the day's activities.

Here General Early in ©harge of Confederate t roups was
stopped, or at least, delayed in his march to Washington by
General Lew W 8 l"Lace, commanding the Federal forces. Though the
result was a defeat for the Union troups, the delay caused was
highly important, as it enabled additional toups to be rushed to
Washington in time to meet Eprly when he finally reached his
objective.

In the hiBtory of Frederick County, Maryland, by T. J. C.
Williams, the following references are made to the stone bridge

Middle town Vo//e, * ,«.4j * ^^

Scol»

*ncf> • I mile

J

MONOCACV BATTLEFIISLD AM) VlCIMI V

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on the Baltimore pike, which ie now known as Jug Bridge, in
an account by Major Go Idaho rough, then a volunteer aid-de-
camp on the staff of Brigadier- General E. B. Tyler, with the
rank of first lieutenant: "Our line, somwwhat in the form
of a semi-circle, extended from Baker's farm on the George-
town pike to the Monocacy Junction, thence along the east
hank of the Monocacy River to the stone bridge on the Balti-
more turnpike, and to Hughes' Ford beyond, a distance of
about six miles in all *** and a picket line on the Baltimore
turnpike on the west: side of the Monocacy, guarding the store
bridge to prevent them from getting on our right flank ***.»
He says further: "At the stone bridge on the B a ltimre turnpike
Col. Brown, commanding the 144th and 149th Ohio, deployed a
skirmish line along the crest of the ridge on the west side
of the Monocacy at day break, and having placed a strong guard
at Drums Ford ***."

The map enclosed shows the position of the t roups during
this engagement, .and was taken from an account by an eye-witness
and participant of the battle. From the account given it does
not appear that any actual fighting took place at the bridge,
but there was certainly fighting close by and it stood by virtue
of its indestructibility, every wooden structure in the vicinity
being burned.

RECENT HISTORY

From all accounts the bridge stood as originally sonstructed

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until fairly recent years, -when the roadway was resurfaced with
macadam, and concrete used to replace the stone topping of the
balustrades.

In 1930 a contract was let by the State Roads Com^isdon
for the encasing of the piers which were badly eroded and the
repointing of considerable of the masonry. This work has re-
cently been completed and now the bridge } as good as new, stands
ready for another hundred years of service.

construction
material:.

As has been previously stated Jug Bridge is of the stone
arch type, made of native limestone for the most part, but with
brownstone inset in several places.

GENERAL DIMENSIONS

There are four arches, which together with the abutments
make a total length of four hundred and twenty-four feet five
inches. Serving as a transition between the gradually sloping
flats on the west of the Monocacy and the steeply rising bluffs
on the opposite side, it was built on a grade of 4.40^. The
higher side on the east rising 61 feet 5 inches' above the water
to the center of the arch, or 70 feet 3 inches to the top of
the railing, as against similar measurements of 41 feet 4 inches
and 48 feet 4 inches on the west.

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ROADTCAY

The original surface was merely dirt filled in over the
masonry, but is at present macadam with concrete shoulders, and
whefcl guards. The total width between balustrades is 28 feet
6 inches, which is unusually wide for the days in which it was
built.

PIERS

The piers supporting the afiches are rounded on the
upperstream end, and faced with brownstone, on the other end
angular and unfaced. There original length was approximately
58 feet, with a width of 13 feet, 6 inches at the base. The
new encasement extend these measurements to 66 feet, 6 inches
and 17 feet, 6 inches , respectively.

a|buttmeuts

The afcbutments are continous with the bridge it self
and made of the same material with occesional blocks of
brown stone inset into the lime stone masonry. The apparently
reasonless use of this brown Btone might be accounted for
by assuming a surplus above that used on the - piers, it being
used here rather than wasted.

The abbutment on the west curves sharply northward
beyond the last arch and ends with a. foundation for the jug,
circular in shape. This curve is the only bad feature on
the bridge causing a considerable slowing of traffic.

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THE JUG
The jug from which the name of the bridge is derived
is a demijohn standing some 14 or 15 feet above the road-
way made of the same material as the bridge at the bottom
arid of brown stone at the top where the inscriptions are.
The ball on top which represents the stopper seems to be
placed crooked as though it had fallen off and been replaced
carelessly, no record however of any such occurence was found.

CO NCLUSION
In concluding let me again quote Mr. Grove's statement.
He says "This bridge will stand until the hills around
are torn to peices." This prophecy seems to thfe observer
to be likely of fulfillment.