WATERVILLE BRIDGE REVISITED AGAIN
As our old steel truss bridge slowly disappears from the landscape we thought it appropriate to revisit an article we printed some time ago and share our favorite photos of the old bridge. Several years ago we wrote about the history of our bridges or lack thereof, in a series called “Crossing the River,” so we will confine our discussion to the bridge we all know.
This bridge was built and opened in 1947, when peacetime prosperity allowed replacement of the old iron truss bridge that collapsed in 1941. Remember we couldn’t get steel during the war and had to wait a few years before construction could begin. The bridge was rebuilt on the stone piers of the old wagon bridge which were widened and reinforced on the upstream side. Forty or so years later it was in bad shape and did not meet the demands of modern highway traffic. In 1988 the bridge was closed while a new and stronger deck was installed and the overhead clearance was increased to accommodate large trucks and farm vehicles. The extensive re-build was captured on film by Emery Noward, whose photos album of this project can be found in the Wakeman Archives. The bridge’s steel structure still needed repainted from time-to-time and the color may have changed. Today the bridge is no longer meeting the needs of the community again.
Today we have a new beautiful bridge which is a place that everyone is able to walk across and look at the river below in a safe manner. You can also look for the eagles nest and maybe even catch the eagle fishing. On many beautiful sunny days you see the community out taking a stroll across the bridge. Hope to see you out there sometime!
Author’s note: The steel truss bridges, so common in the 20th century, are rapidly disappearing in our state. Save your photographs to preserve the memories. Your children and grandchildren may never see one.