Moving Around: A Century of Transportation

Making Connections

Ferries crossing rivers were common before the days of large, iron, cement, or steel bridges that could span great distances across water. From the earliest days of road building, ferries propelled by paddle, wooden-staff, or pull-ropes transported people, horses, and goods across rivers. Later, steam and gas powered ferries carried people, horses and wagons, railroad cars, and even later, automobiles. Over small rivers and steams, or large or deep valleys, trestles and bridges of wood, and later iron or steel, provided a quicker, more straight-line, and often more cost-effective route than skirting natural obstacles.

< At 1100 feet long and 137 feet high, the Lyman Viaduct iron railroad trestle was built 1872-1873 to span the valley of Dickinson Creek near Colchester. Named after David Lyman, the person who built the New Haven, Middletown & Willimantic section of the Air Line Railroad, the trestle was a major link in the Air Line, which was billed as the fastest route between Boston and New York City. Although the trestle had only one set of tracks, it was built to accommodate two sets. In 1912-1913 the Lyman Viaduct was filled in.

Steam Ferry Gildersleeve, Ferry Street, Hartford, 1895
Photograph by William E. Flint
1895
Photo CD: 0553
File: img0086.pcd

< Built at Portland in 1887 for service between Portland and Middletown, the steam ferry Gildersleeve was used to provide transportation between Hartford and East Hartford after the covered bridge across the Connecticut River was destroyed by fire in 1895. The Gildersleeve remained in service until 1901.

Connecticut (Bulkeley) Bridge Looking West Toward Hartford
Double postcard by R. Weller of Smith, Wise & Co.
Between 1907 and 1915
Photo CD: 3235
File: img0068.pcd

< In 1907, the gray and pink granite Hartford Bridge was completed across the Connecticut River. It was one of the last large stone-arch bridges built in Connecticut and replaced the 1818 covered bridge, which burned in 1895. Its nine arches span 1,192 feet, rising 45 feet above the river at low water. With double trolley tracks down its middle, the bridge opened to trolley traffic on December 8, 1907 and to the general public for foot, wagon and carriage, and automobile traffic on December 21, 1907. Its official dedication was in October 1908. In 1922 it was renamed the Bulkeley Bridge in honor of U. S. Senator Morgan Bulkeley.

Link to other essays in this Journey:

>> Introduction: Moving Around: A Century of Transportation
>> Early Roads and Water
>> The Revolution of Steam on Land and Sea
>> ‘Clang, Clang, Clang Went the Trolley’:
      Early Urban Mass Transit
>> Currents of Air
>> Your Own Set of Wheels: The Bicycle
>> Your Own Set of Wheels: The Automobile

>> Guideposts
>> Suggestions for further reading