Welcome to Livingston County’s Bicentennial GeoTrail!
My name is Find R. Fox. I’ll be your guide to super-sleuthing the hides at these amazing, historical locations all around our beautiful 200-year-old county!
To make your travel through history a bit easier, imagine yourself in a Time Machine (your best mode of transportation will do). Set the dial (your gps unit) to the first year (coordinates) listed below, check the waypoints for Parking and push the navigate button! Whirl your way there then switch your coordinates as needed to navigate to the geocache to sniff out the container and sign the log sheet. Good Luck & Enjoy the journey!!
Park hours dawn to 10 PM. Please use parking coordinates, as this is a VERY busy road! Also, there is a creek flowing under the bridge, so keep an eye on pets and small kids.
The Genesee Valley Railroad was incorporated on June 2, 1856, for the purpose of purchasing the land and completing the rail line between Avon and Mt. Morris. On October 1856, the railroad made a contract with George W. and George B. Phelps of the architectural firm of Phelps, Mattoon & Barnes for completion of the railway line, including the bridge, by the first of September 1857.
The stone railroad bridge with five arches at Ashantee in Avon was built to carry rail traffic over the Conesus Outlet and was constructed of hand-dressed Stafford limestone, which was taken from a quarry along Conesus Creek just north of the Littleville Road intersection off of Route 39. Immediately work was begun, but due to the financial crisis of 1857, the railroad company was unable to provide the contractor with the means to continue the work. Operations were suspended and then resumed in 1858.
The first train entered Geneseo on January 1, 1859, and the last phase of the line south to Mt. Morris was completed in April 1859. Avon became a railway hub connecting Rochester and Buffalo to Corning and Hornell. The railroad experienced a short period of success, but due to exhausted capital, the line faced reorganization by the end of its first year of operation. Judgment of foreclosure and sale of the railroad was ordered at a special court term at Rochester on December 26, 1859.
On February 10, 1860, William Kidd became trustee for all the property when he purchased the railroad for $87,500. The railroad was renamed the Avon, Geneseo, and Mt. Morris Railroad. The year 1869 was a good one for the railroad. It had two engines, eight passenger cars, three baggage and mail cars and carried 43,574 passengers and 3,400 tons of freight over the Five Arch Bridge. In 1873, the railroad was leased to the Erie Railway Company.
Early images of the bridge indicate that the heavy wood beams bolted over each of the five arches were part of the early construction. A state inspection of the bridge in 1887 reported that it was fractured, and clamps were holding it in position. A new structure was recommended to be built soon. In 1890, an inspection by the State Railroad Commissioners found the viaduct in bad condition. Up to June 30, 1901, the total cost of the bridges on the line from Avon to Mt. Morris was $6,304.
In 1907, the Erie Railroad replaced steam trains with a single-phase electric trolley between Rochester and Mt. Morris, travelling over the Five Arch Bridge, which ran thirteen trips daily. In the 1930s, passenger service dropped in demand and electrification was no longer necessary; and, on November 29, 1934, gas-electric cars were substituted.
Due to the increase of private automobiles, many serious accidents occurred at the Five Arch Bridge as drivers failed to properly navigate the road curves and narrow pass under the arch (cars used to pass under the arch closest to the road). By November 1932, the route of Avon-Geneseo Road was changed so it no longer went under the arch and avoided the bridge entirely. The track was abandoned and torn up in 1941 due to the popularity and convenience of the automobile.
George Stewart, an Avon attorney, purchased the bridge from the railroad on March 30, 1965. On October 28, 1971, Mr. Stewart gave the property to the Village of Avon, asking for only $900 to cover the cost of two appraisal fees. From 1966 until 1979, Edward Dooley, a retired Erie railroad employee, along with his friend Jim Couchman, maintained the bridge and surrounding land.
In 1985, an engineering study by Bero Associates of Rochester viewed the structure as in fair shape, but it was suffering from water penetrating through the railroad bed. The report noted that rainwater was dissolving the mortar holding the stones together, thus weakening the structure. The recommendation to restore the structure suggested removing the trees, brush, and debris and installing a roof to create a water disposal system as well as repairing the mortar joints.
By 1990, the high waters of Conesus Creek had cut into the bank on the south side of the creek, causing large chunks of concrete from the bridge to slide down the bank. The bases of several arches had been severely eroded. In 1990, the village sought funds through a legislative initiative grant to make repairs on the bridge, but was turned down. The village promised that the bridge would be fixed with or without the grant.
In 1991, the Livingston Construction Company repaired a deteriorating abutment of the bridge. Forms were constructed around the abutment and concrete was poured into the forms.
In June 1994, the Village of Avon finally followed the Bero Associates’ recommendations to prevent water from seeping into the limestone structure. Under the direction of Avon Preservation & Historical Society’s president, Dwight Brown, volunteers cleared the top of the bridge of trees and brush. A heavy-duty sheet of plastic was fastened to the top of the bridge and covered with gravel and sand, ensuring it was invisible, thereby preserving the historical character of the structure. In October 1995, the concrete abutment on the south end of the bridge was removed to prevent people from climbing to the top.
The Five Arch Bridge continues to be a popular destination for both locals and tourists. The Avon Preservation and Historical Society hopes to preserve this historic and scenic landmark for the enjoyment of future generations.
Sources: Cultural Resource Information System, Joel Pitts and members of the Avon Boy Scout Troop 26, NY Historic, Wikipedia
Thanks to HFJohn and ElbaPatch for their assistance in placing this cache!
Thanks to the Village of Avon for their permission to place this cache!
This cache is 1 of 36 caches comprising the Livingston County Bicentennial GeoTrail (LivCo200) placed in the summer of 2021 in honor of Livingston County’s Bicentennial by members of the local geocaching group called the Bee Hive. For more information about Livingston County’s Bicentennial, visit the County Historian’s Bicentennial web page on the Livingston County New York website at https://www.livingstoncounty.us/1115/County-Bicentennial
