News Release

Work Will Continue in 2018 on Historic Stone Bridge at Manassas National Battlefield Park

Date: December 21, 2017
Contact: Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, 202-619-7177
Contact: Ray Brown, 703-361-1339

MANASSAS, Va. — Construction is underway to stabilize the historic Stone Bridge at Manassas National Battlefield Park. Although originally intended to be completed in one season, construction will need to be divided into two phases to safely complete the project and address more significant deterioration than expected.

As workers began to chip off the exterior coat of cement mortar, they found that the circa 1880 lime-based mortar underneath was weaker than anticipated causing stones to come loose and fall out. To limit damage to the historic fabric of the bridge, preservation experts and project engineers modified the construction method and schedule.

The first phase of construction, which began in early October, included stabilizing the bridge foundation and repairing historic stone masonry. The bridge will remain open throughout the entire first phase of the work which is expected to wrap up in January 2018.

The second phase of construction is expected to begin in spring 2018. For roughly two weeks in spring 2018, the bridge will close while crews replace the paved bridge deck. To avoid interrupting visitor access to the area during peak bloom of the Virginia bluebells along Bull Run, work will not take place April 2 - 20, 2018.

Please visit go.nps.gov/manassasstonebridge for the most up-to-date information.

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About the Historic Stone Bridge
During the First Battle of Manassas, Union artillerists positioned east of the bridge fired the opening shots of the battle over the stream crossing the morning of July 21, 1861. Originally built around 1825, Stone Bridge survived the First Battle of Manassas only to have Confederate forces destroy the span in 1862. Union army engineers constructed a temporary wooden span over the bridge ruins in 1862. The present-day Stone Bridge was completed in the 1880s on site of the earlier bridge, and remained open to vehicles until the mid 1920s.