Scenic Bridges and Reservoirs

Rhode Island’s engineering history is showcased through this collection of vital infrastructure and historic crossings. The list includes the Scituate Reservoir, the state’s largest inland water body, and the Gainer Memorial Dam which regulates it. Bridge highlights feature the 1908 Crook Point Bascule Bridge—a defunct rolling lift structure—and the Swamp Meadow Bridge, the state’s only covered bridge on a public road. These sites illustrate the evolution of the region's transportation and water management systems from the early 20th century to the present.

Boston and Providence Railroad Bridge

The Boston and Providence Railroad Bridge in East Providence is a railroad bridge on the East Junction Branch spanning Ten Mile River.

Crook Point Bascule Bridge

The Crook Point Bascule Bridge is a defunct Scherzer rolling lift railway bridge which spans the Seekonk River, connecting the city of…

Henderson Expressway

The Henderson Bridge is a bridge in Rhode Island which spans the Seekonk River, and connects the East Side neighborhood of Providence with…

Swamp Meadow Bridge

Swamp Meadow Bridge is a covered bridge crossing Hemlock Brook located on Central Pike in the town of Foster, Rhode Island.

Scituate Reservoir

The largest inland body of water in Rhode Island, this reservoir serves as the primary drinking water supply for more than 60 percent of the state's population. It was created in the 1920s by flooding several historic mill villages.

Gainer Memorial Dam

This earth-fill dam impounds the Scituate Reservoir. Completed in 1925 and named after former Providence Mayor Joseph H. Gainer, the structure stands 100 feet high and remains central to the region's water infrastructure.

Diamond Hill Reservoir Dam

Located in Cumberland, this dam impounds the Diamond Hill Reservoir. It serves as a key component of the Pawtucket Water Supply Board system, providing water storage adjacent to the Diamond Hill State Park area.