Suffield and Thompsonville Bridge explained

Bridge Name:Suffield and Thompsonville Bridge
Carries:vehicular and pedestrian traffic
Crosses:Connecticut River
Locale:Suffield, Connecticut, to Thompsonville, Connecticut
Design:5-span iron through truss bridge
Length:1060feet
Begin:August 15, 1892
Complete:January 14, 1893
Open:February 20, 1893
Closed:1971
Toll:3¢ for pedestrians
12¢ for single teams
15¢ for double teams

The Suffield and Thompsonville Bridge was a 5-span iron through truss bridge over the Connecticut River located between present day Suffield, Connecticut, and Thompsonville, Connecticut (Enfield). It connected Burbank Avenue in Suffield with Main Street in Thompsonville. Its four stone piers still stand today.

History

In 1889 the Suffield and Thompsonville Bridge Company was granted a charter to construct an iron bridge across the Connecticut River between Thompsonville and Suffield. The Berlin Iron Bridge Company of Berlin, Connecticut, was the contractor for the ironwork, and O.W. Weand of Reading, Pennsylvania, was the contractor for the stonework. The first toll-taker was Nathan Hemenway. Tolls were initially three cents for pedestrians, twelve cents for single teams and fifteen cents for double teams.

The Enfield–Suffield Veterans Bridge opened downstream in 1966, and the Suffield and Thompsonville Bridge closed shortly thereafter. The ironwork was removed, but the four piers remain in the river.

See also

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