The Mainstream of Connecticut:
The Many Roles of the Connecticut River

A Water Barrier

Bisecting the state north to south, the river long presented an obstacle to east-west communication. Over the centuries a multitude of ferries and bridges have been utilized to breach this fluid barrier.

< Connecticut River mariners had long fought against the construction of bridges, citing the potential for mishap. Their fears were realized in spectacular fashion the evening of March 29, 1876 when the luxurious passenger steamer City of Hartford missed the railroad bridge’s open draw span. The result of this miscalculation was that the ship’s bridge (pilot house) wore the railroad’s bridge!

Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry
Rocky Hill, ca. 1900
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< The oldest continuously operating ferry crossing in the country remains that linking Rocky Hill and Glastonbury. By the late 19th century oar- and sail-powered craft had given way to a small steam-powered vessel designed for rapid loading and unloading.

Bulkeley Bridge Under Construction
Hartford, 1906
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< The longest stone arch bridge in the world at the time of its construction, the Hartford (later renamed Bulkeley) Bridge linked Connecticut’s capitol city with towns east of the river. Thousands of tons of Connecticut granite were used in its construction.

< The development of the automobile sparked efforts to improve Connecticut River crossings for the increasing amounts of east-west traffic. Since the river remained a busy commercial waterway bridges needed to be either tall enough to allow the passage of sailing vessels or, like the East Haddam Bridge, be equipped with a moveable draw or swing span. Visible at Goodspeed’s Landing on the east bank of the river is the world famous Goodspeed Opera House.

< The high vertical clearance of this bridge linking Middletown and Portland reduced the potential for mishaps with vessels, as occurred in such spectacular fashion when the steamer City of Hartford neatly bisected the Air Line Railroad bridge one foggy evening in 1876. Recently refurbished, the Arrigoni Bridge continues to provide a crucial cross-river link for truckers and commuters alike.

Link to other essays in this Journey:

>> The Mainstream of Connecticut: The Many Roles
     of the Connecticut River
>> A Flowing Highway
>> A Natural Bounty
>> A Mind of Its Own
>> A Changing Face

>> Guideposts
>> Suggestions for further reading