The 10 Oldest Bridges in New Jersey
New Jersey’s landscape is dotted with remarkable bridges that have stood the test of time. These structures, many of which date back to the 18th and 19th centuries, are more than just infrastructure. They are enduring symbols of craftsmanship, innovation, and history. Next time you are road-tripping through the Garden State, take a detour — you might just be driving over history.
How these bridges were selected
Many older bridge remnants exist across the state, but some are little more than piles of stones, buried foundations, or tucked away on private land. To make this guide useful for travelers and history buffs alike, we prioritized bridges that still carry pedestrians or vehicle traffic and that are both structurally intact and publicly accessible.
For those looking to explore them, see the Google Map below with pins for every bridge on the list, making it easy to plan a visit or follow the route of New Jersey’s earliest infrastructure.
Link to Google map here:
10. Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge (Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, 1872)
Location: Rosemont-Ringoes Road (CR 604), Stockton, NJ 08559.
The oldest covered bridge in New Jersey. Built by Charles Holcombe, it features a queen-post timber truss and was briefly dismantled in 1960. Local outcry led to its restoration using the original timbers just one year later. Legend says it is haunted by a Revolutionary War-era sergeant, but even without ghosts, its charm is undeniable. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974.
Source: https://www.historic-structures.com/nj/stockton/green-sergeants-covered-bridge/
9. Main Street Bridge (Clinton, Hunterdon County, 1870)
Location: 48 West Main Street, Clinton, NJ 08809.
Constructed by the same team as the New Hampton Bridge, this cast and wrought iron truss crosses the South Branch of the Raritan River between the Red Mill Museum and the Hunterdon Art Museum. When the bridge was widened in 1985, its original trusses were preserved as ornamental railings. Today it serves pedestrians and offers one of the most iconic photo spots in the state.
Source: https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/clinton/
8. New Hampton Truss Bridge (Lebanon/Washington Township, Hunterdon County, 1868)
Location: Junction of Rymon Rd and Shoddy Mill Rd, Washington Twp, NJ 07882
New Jersey’s oldest surviving iron truss bridge. Built by William Cowin and engineer Francis Lowthorp, the Pratt pony truss includes decorative iron caps and was originally designed to carry wagons and early automobiles over the Musconetcong River. It has been closed to traffic since the 1970s and now serves as a pedestrian bridge.
Source: https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/newhampton/
7. Boonton Stone Arch Bridge (Boonton, Morris County, 1866)
Photo by Sherman Cahal, courtesy of bridgestunnels.com
Location: Grace Lord Park (Plane Street), Boonton, NJ
Tucked into the Gorge of the Rockaway River, the Arch Bridge from the Boonton Ironworks is a history lesson you can walk across. Built in 1866, this single-span fieldstone arch once carried a vital water pipe to the ironworks, bringing water for fire protection to an industrial complex powered by the Morris Canal and rolling mills. Today, it serves as a charming pedestrian crossing in Grace Lord Park, offering views of both the falls and Boonton’s industrial roots.
Source:https://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/SRB/2022-03-17/NJ_Morris_Arch_Bridge_from_Boonton_Ironworks.pdf
6. Warrington Stone Bridge (Knowlton Township, Warren County, c. 1860)
Location: 17 Brugler Rd, Columbia, NJ 07832
Built around 1860, this six-span masonry arch bridge carries Brugler Road over the Paulins Kill in the Warrington section of Knowlton Township. Its gracefully curved arches and stone craftsmanship make it the largest surviving 19th-century stone-arch roadway bridge in New Jersey. Still in service today, it’s listed on both the state and national historic registers.
Source: https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/77000917_text
5. Cat Tail Brook Bridge (Hillsborough, Somerset County, 1825)
Location: Montgomery Road near the intersection with Amwell Road, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844.
This single-span fieldstone arch bridge has been in continuous use for nearly 200 years. Its semicircular design has endured with little alteration. It was rated “basically sound” by county engineers in 1992 and continues to serve local traffic.
Source: https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/cd230c1a-303e-4158-bdb2-a4676810ff62/
4. Bridgepoint Bridge (Montgomery Township, Somerset County, 1822)
Location: 43 Dead Tree Run Rd, Belle Mead, NJ 08502
Bridgepoint Bridge is a narrow, three-span stone arch bridge that crosses Pike Run near the old mill and dam in the heart of the Bridgepoint Historic District. Its rustic stonework and peaceful mill pond setting have made it a favorite local spot, celebrated for its charm and historic character.
Source: https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/bridgepoint/
3. Stone Arch Bridge (Montgomery Township, Somerset County, 1822)
Location: 210 Opossum Rd, Skillman, NJ 08558
This double-arch stone bridge has a gentle “camelback” profile and once served as a farm route to the King’s Highway. It still carries single-lane traffic over Bedens Brook. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and fully restored in 2002.
Source: https://visitsomersetnj.org/fun-somerset-nj/opossum-road-bridge/
2. Kingston Bridge (Franklin/South Brunswick/Princeton, 1798)
Photo by Billy Wilson, courtesy of flickr
Location: Route 27 (Kingston-Rocky Hill Road), Kingston, NJ 08528.
Right at the junction of Somerset, Middlesex, and Mercer counties, this bridge replaced a wooden span destroyed by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Its four fieldstone arches once carried the King’s Highway, now Route 27. In 1960, local residents successfully fought to protect it from demolition.
Source: https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/64500399_text
1. Stony Brook Bridge (Princeton, Mercer County, 1792)
Photo by NJDOT
Location: Lawrenceville Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540
This triple-arch stone bridge is the oldest still in use on a New Jersey state highway. Built in 1792 and widened in 1916, it continues to carry modern traffic. A 2017 restoration preserved its historic character while improving safety.
Source: https://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/press/2018/042718.shtm
Summary
| Rank | Bridge Name | Town and County | Year Built |
| 10 | Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge | Delaware Township, Hunterdon County | 1872 |
| 9 | Main Street Bridge | Clinton, Hunterdon County | 1870 |
| 8 | New Hampton Truss Bridge | Lebanon/Washington Township, Hunterdon County | 1868 |
| 7 | Arch Bridge from the Boonton Ironworks | Boonton, Morris County | 1866 |
| 6 | Warrington Stone Bridge | Knowlton Township, Warren County | c. 1860 |
| 5 | Cat Tail Brook Bridge | Hillsborough, Somerset County | 1825 |
| 4 | Bridgepoint Bridge | Montgomery Township, Somerset County | 1822 |
| 3 | Stone Arch Bridge | Montgomery Township, Somerset County | 1822 |
| 2 | Kingston Bridge | Franklin/South Brunswick/Princeton, Somerset/Middlesex/Mercer | 1798 |
| 1 | Stony Brook Bridge | Princeton, Mercer County | 1792 |
Share Your Photos!
Have you visited any of these historic bridges? Share your favorite bridge photos in the comments below and let us know which one is your favorite!
Sources
Craig, R. W. (1982). National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Kingston Mill Historic District. National Park Service. https://npgallery.nps.gov
FunNewJersey. (2023, January 16). The oldest bridges in NJ. FunNewJersey Magazine. https://blog.funnewjersey.com/the-oldest-bridges-in-nj
HistoricBridges.org. (2015, November 8). Bridgepoint Bridge. In HistoricBridges.org. https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/bridgepoint/
HistoricBridges.org. (n.d.). Main Street Bridge. Retrieved from https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/clinton/
Historic‑Structures.com. (2024, April 10). Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge, Stockton New Jersey. Retrieved from https://www.historic-structures.com/nj/stockton/green-sergeants-covered-bridge/
Karschner, T. (1975). NRHP Nomination: New Hampton Pony Pratt Truss Bridge. National Park Service. https://historicbridges.org
National Park Service. (1975). National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form: Bridgepoint Historic District. Retrieved August 13, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgepoint_Historic_District
National Park Service. (1976). National Register of Historic Places inventory—Nomination: Warrington Stone Bridge (Knowlton Twp., Warren Co., NJ). NPGallery Digital Asset. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/77000917_text
New Jersey Department of Transportation. (2018, April 27). Historic Route 206 bridges over Stony Brook rehabilitation wins 2018 Project of the Year. https://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/press/2018/042718.shtm
South Jersey Film Office. (n.d.). Bonnie’s Bridge. Retrieved from https://sjfilmoffice.com/location/bonnies-bridge/
United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. New Jersey Historic Sites Inventory: Cat Tail Brook Bridge. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/cd230c1a-303e-4158-bdb2-a4676810ff62/
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. (n.d.). Stone Bridge in Kingston, New Jersey [Photograph by Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, P.C.] (Photo No. 79221). America’s Byways. Public domain photograph. https://fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/bywaysp/photos/79221
West Jersey History Project. (1994). NRHP Nomination: Opossum Road Bridge. National Park Service. https://visitsomersetnj.org
(Unless otherwise noted, photos courtesy Google)
