Mavilla Bridge

The Mavilla Bridge (Spanish: Puente de Mavilla), or Bridge 354, is located at kilometer 17.7 on Puerto Rico Highway 159 between Corozal and Bayamón, Puerto Rico.[2] The bridge has maintained most of its original design and structure over the years. It was constructed in 1903 replacing a wooden bridge that had been at the location since 1853, and served as a road between Toa Alta and Bayamón municipalities, in the 19th century.[3]

Mavilla Bridge
Mavilla Bridge (Ca. 2015)
Mavilla Bridge is located in Puerto Rico
Mavilla Bridge
Nearest cityCorozal, Puerto Rico
Coordinates18°21′07″N 66°17′50″W
Arealess than 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1903 (1903)
Built byRoque Paniagua; José García-González
Architectural stylesegmented arch
MPSHistoric Bridges of Puerto Rico MPS
NRHP reference No.95000848[1]
Added to NRHPJuly 19, 1995

Description

Built in 1903, the bridge has not been altered much since its beginnings. Its construction cost $3,000 and 80 men worked on its construction under the direction of Roque Paniagua. In 1909, the contractor José García González added a concrete balustrade at a cost of $644. Its construction in 1903 eased transportation between Corozal and nearby towns of Toa Alta, Orocovis, Vega Alta and Naranjito. This is the oldest, concrete-lowered, arch bridge and one of the most attractive. The bridge span is 25.5 meters (84 ft) long and 4.6 meters (15 ft) wide.[4] Its arch is 50 feet above the Mavilla River. Mavilla Bridge was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places list on July 19, 1995.[5]

  • Río Mavilla under the Mavilla Bridge
    Río Mavilla under the Mavilla Bridge

Folklore

There is a legend of a woman who lives around the Mavilla Bridge. In Diez de mis cuentos (Ten of My Stories), author Sixto Febus writes that one night, while returning from work, he picked up a woman from the side of the road who was standing near the Mavilla Bridge. He did not get a good look at her as she got into the back seat of his car. He tried making small talk with the woman but she did not talk until when she finally spoke, it was to ask she be dropped off at the cemetery.[6] It was when she exited the car that he looked at her as she was walking away and noticed she was headless.[7]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. José E. Marull (December 28, 2012). "Propiedades de Puerto Rico incluidas en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos" (PDF) (in Spanish). Oficina Estatal de Conservación Histórica. p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  3. Martín Rosado González (February 26, 2014). "Puente de Mavilla del Municipio de Corozal" (in Spanish). Centro Cultural de Corozal. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  4. Luis F. Pumarada O’Neill (1991). "Los Puentes Históricos de Puerto Rico" (PDF) (in Spanish). pp. 57–58. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  5. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Mavilla Bridge". National Park Service. Retrieved April 9, 2021. With accompanying pictures
  6. Rafy Pagán. "Puente Mavillas" (in Spanish). Corozalmail. Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  7. J. Santiago (September 29, 2019). "La leyenda del Puente Mavillas Corozal y su mujer sin cabeza" (in Spanish). Noticias de Ponce. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
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