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Hampshire
and Worchester Counties, Massachusetts
(WGN 21-14-01/21-08-04)
(WGCB MA-14-01/MA-08-04): (1886; repaired 1956-59; new floor
1966; restored 1986-87) A single-span Town lattice truss 137' over
the Ware River. Located: In Gilbertville-Hardwick, Massachusetts.
Directions: When traveling east, take Exit 8 off
the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) then take SR 32 north some 8 miles to
the center of Ware, Massachusetts. Here SR 9 joins SR 32.
Continue to the right on SR 9/SR 32 and when the two routes split, continue
on SR 32 for 2.9 miles and take a left on Bridge Street, from which point
the bridge can be seen. Commissioned by the Boston and Maine Railroad Company,
Richard Hawkins constructed the bridge to provide a way over the Ware River
after the company took a road in Ware, Massachusetts for railroad tracks.
In 1938 the tracks were uprooted during a hurricane that decimated the
area and the railroad did not survive. However, the bridge survived
despite having the flood waters lapping at the floor boards. In 1952,
a plan to abandon the bridge brought cries of indignation from local residents
and the two towns decided not to abandon the structure. A dump on
the Ware side was closed to help eliminate heavy truck traffic over the
bridge. In 1954 Ware, Massachusetts started to make repairs of its
share and Hardwick, Massachusetts started their repairs three years later.
Then in 1966 the two-lane bridge received a new floor at a cost of approximately
$8,000. And in 1983 the bridge again needed major repairs.
It was closed in August 1985 due to the deterioration of the support beams.
Restoration of the bridge was started in June 1986 and it was reopened
to traffic in September 1987. When photographed in September 2003,
the bridge had once again been closed to vehicular traffic. It is
listed on the National Register of historic places. (Sep 2003) |
