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Middlesex
County, Connecticut
(WGN
07-04-01) (WGCB CT-04-01) (1873; repaired 1919;
reconstructed 1937-38; repaired c. 1969; new roof 1990; repaired
1995) A single-span Howe truss 80" over the Salmon River. Located:
In West Westchester, Connecticut, on bypassed section of SR 16 (Colchester
Avenue). Directions: Travel east on SR 2 to Exit 13, taking
SR 66 west for 4.0 miles to SR 196. Take a left onto SR 196 south
and drive 0.7 miles and take a left onto South Main Street. Leaving
Route 196, drive another 0.7 miles and take a left at the traffic light
onto SR 16 east (Colchester Avenue). Travel 2.8 miles at which point
the bridge can be seen on the left just before crossing its concrete replacement.
Sources indicate that this bridge was originally built in 1873. As
near as can be determined, the present bridge was built in 1873.
There had been several on the site previously. The first bridge being
constructed in 1791 after some thirty years of battle between the towns
of Colchester, Connecticut and Chatham, Connecticut over such items as
location, cost and maintenance. When that bridge was washed away
by a spring flood on the night of January 16-17, 1873, it was not covered.
On April 19, 1873, Chatham, Connecticut voted to rebuild the bridge “in
such a way as was deemed fit and proper.” On April 2, 1873, the townspeople
of Colchester, Connecticut had voted to construct an iron bridge.
However, the structure that was ultimately built was a covered bridge at
a cost of $3,966.59. In 1919 a truck loaded with beer broke through
the floor of the bridge and fell to the river below. The nearby residents
salvaged the beer. In 1932, when the present Route 16 concrete bridge
was constructed, the covered span was retired. During 1937-38, the
structure was rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps. They installed
the gates and windows, replaced the roof and floor supports, stringer sections
and siding. On March 28, 1969, the bridge was closed for an indefinite
period after an inspection showed that the west end of the bottom chords
which rest on the abutment were rotted. This caused the bridge to
sag so that collapse under its own weight was possible. It was later
determined that there were weak spots were on both trusses. The bolt
holes had became enlarged and the bolts had loosened. New trusses
were built, new bolts holes were drilled, bolts were tightened, and a new
cedar roof was installed. The lumber for the sides was obtained from
an old tobacco barn in Enfield. The cost of the reconstruction was
approximately $50,000.00. In the fall of 1990, the bridge received
a new roof, and in early 1995 minor repairs were made. Located in
a roadside park setting protected with security cameras and has both portals
gated to prevent vehicular or pedestrian traffic of any kind. The
structure rests on cut stone and mortar abutments that extend to short
road level wing walls on the west end and a cut stone and mortar pier on
the east end. A Pony truss structure extends for a distance of 35'
7.5" from the pier at the east end of the bridge to another abutment of
dry stone at the bank of the river. The east end abutment is
extended to form short, below road level wing walls. It has weathered
siding, its deck is covered with random width lengthwise planks, the roof
is cedar shakes, and the sides and portals are unpainted vertical boards.
There is no additional steel reinforcing. It was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places on January 1, 1976. (May 2005) |
