This bridge was built in 1946 by imprisoned laborers from the nearby Lorton Workhouse using bricks made in their brickyard. It is the only structure of its kind in the state of Virginia. Known as voussoir arch bridges (so named for the wedge-shaped or tapered stones used to construct arches) or barrel arch bridges (due to the resemblance to the inside of a wooden barrel), this complex building style is among the strongest and most durable forms. (One of the oldest examples is the Caravan Bridge, which spans the Meles River in…
