A
rchitecture in Connecticut A Pictorial History Oct. 1st - Dec. 21st, 2012 Wadsworth Atheneum Hartford, CT
Sponsored by The Connecticut Architectural Society and the Wadsworth Atheneum
walls instead of bridges. — Unknown
“
“
People are lonely because they build
Introduction Throughout Connecticut, there are many bridges that have immense historical meaning to different towns as well as the state and even the nation. These bridges are just a few examples and each one has a diverse feature to them whether it is motion, material, or the story behind it.
2 • BRIDGES
BUTTS BRIDGE Located in Canterbury
1936 2012
Butts Bridge was named after Lieutenant Samuel Butts who was one of the forty men seriously injured when the original bridge crumbled in 1728. The bridge was rebuilt several times but the most recent was in 1936 and made of very strong metal to defeat the natural occurences that condemned it several times before.
BRIDGES •
3
View from North Entrance (Butts Bridge)
BRIDGES •
5
1943 2012
Goldstar Bridge is the largest structure in the state of Connecticut. It is a memorial bridge named after those in the armed forces from the area during WWI, WWII and the Korean War. While building the bridge, a couple of the men fell in the concrete and lost their lives, their bodies are still in the concrete and there are plaques to remember them.
6
• BRIDGES
GOLDSTAR BRIDGE Located in Groton
7 BRIDGES •
View from Paul’s Pasta (Goldstar Bridge)
BRIDGES •
9
10 • BRIDGES
Located in Mystic
MYSTIC DRAWBRIDGE
1922 2012 Mystic Drawbridge was originally installed in 1819, but was not a technically advanced drawbridge, like now, until 1922. The bridge rises about every hour to allow massive ships and whalers to go through the waterway for international travel. This is now a historical tourist site for travelers in the area.
BRIDGES •
11
12
• BRIDGES
View from the strip mall (Mystic Drawbridge)
1806 2012 The Keystone Bridge of Lisbon is the oldest freestanding bridge in the
nation. It was built during the era of stage coaches to allow them to move
over the waterway underneath. It is also called the stone arch bridge and has made it through many natural occurences. The
recent hurricane in 2011 eroded all of the dirt above it, but the stone still stands. The picture above was taken before the ground was destroyed.
14
• BRIDGES
KEYSTONE BRIDGE Located in Lisbon
15 BRIDGES •
View of the Stone Arch (Keystone Bridge)
BRIDGES •
17