Skip to main content

Bulkeley Bridge



Hartford, Connecticut. Insurance capital of America. Last long term stop in Gordie Howe's illustrious professional ice hockey career when he played for the Whalers. But did you know that the Bulkeley Bridge, which I-84 uses to cross the Connecticut River into downtown Hartford is one of the oldest bridges in the Interstate Highway System and is named for a man who has his own storied place in the history of insurance, professional sports and Connecticut politics?

Each and every day, over 140,000 drivers pass directly over one of New England’s most important architectural and engineering treasures. Most are daily commuters who see only red taillights, tandem trailers and merging traffic. From the roadway level, drivers on I-84 can’t see the nine graceful granite arches they pass over as they cross the Connecticut River on the Bulkeley Bridge. In fact, due to a series of levees and the location of other highways, the most dramatic views of Connecticut’s most unique bridge have been obscured for decades.



Named for Morgan G. Bulkeley, the Bulkeley Bridge, carrying I-84, US 6 and US 44 across the Connecticut River, connects Hartford with East Hartford. Morgan Bulkeley was a president of the Aetna Insurance Company for many years, served as the first president of the National League (and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame), was a mayor of Hartford, governor of Connecticut and U.S. Senator. The Bulkeley Bridge is a beautiful stone arch bridge and is the oldest river crossing of the Connecticut River in the Hartford area, opened in 1908. The Bulkeley Bridge replaced the first substantial bridge across the Connecticut River at Hartford, the Hartford Toll Bridge, which was a two lane covered bridge that opened in 1818. This 974 foot span carried horse traffic, and in 1890 trolley lines were added to the old bridge, connecting Hartford to East Hartford and Glastonbury. However, on May 17, 1895, the bridge was destroyed in a raging fire and the Bulkeley Bridge was built in its place. In the time between when the Hartford Toll Bridge burned down and the Bulkeley Bridge opened, temporary bridges and ferries linked the two towns.

Hartford’s civic and business leaders were determined that the new bridge would be an ornament to the city which should endure forever. To create a proper setting, the bridge commission tore down rows of tenements and constructed wide, landscaped approach boulevards on both sides of the river. In designing the bridge, the architect and engineer studied numerous ancient European bridges, and they decided that uncomplicated geometry and restrained architectural detailing would create the proper sense of strength, beauty and dignity. At a time when various steel truss and suspension bridge designs were in vogue, the decision to use the more traditional stone arch method was in large part aesthetic. However, stone arch bridges are also stronger and last longer, never rusting or needing repainting. The Bulkeley Bridge’s tremendous scale, plain but graceful lines, arched form, and simple classical ornament make it one of Connecticut's key examples of Neo-Classical architecture.

In 1903, work started on the new stone arch bridge at the site. Several buildings were razed on each riverbank to create wide, landscaped approaches. At a total price tag of $3 million, it was the most expensive bridge in Connecticut, costing a half million dollars more than the state capitol building itself. Constructed from over 100,000 cubic yards of grey and pink granite, each 10 ton block was cut to remarkable tolerances of within 3/8ths of an inch. Its nine spans were 1192 feet long in total. Its graceful stone arches spanned up to 119 feet each, longer than any others in the state. The bridge’s foundation averaged 50 to 60 feet in depth.


All of Hartford turned out to celebrate when the bridge finally opened on October 6, 1908. The Hartford Courant reported that over 10,000 marchers including several thousand flag waving school children, floats, speeches, sermons, re-enactments of the founding of Hartford, and fireworks were all part of the “Bridge Week” celebration. The most recognized participant was Senator Morgan C. Bulkeley, president of the bridge commission. It was simply called the Hartford Bridge until 1922, when Morgan G. Bulkeley passed away and it was renamed in his honor.

The bridge at the time was a city street, connecting Hartford Avenue in East Hartford to Morgan Street in Hartford. Hartford Avenue is now Connecticut Boulevard. Morgan Street still exists, but is split in two and is literally overshadowed by I-84. As horse and buggy gave way to the automobile, the Bulkeley Bridge became the most important vehicular span in the state. Following a pair of horrific floods in 1936 and 1938 a series of levees were constructed along the banks of the Connecticut River, beginning Hartford’s retreat from the waterfront and partially obscuring views of the bridge. Until 1942, the Bulkeley Bridge was the only motor vehicle bridge across the Connecticut River between Warehouse Point and Middletown, and handled a number of different routes: US 5, US 6, and US 44, along with CT 17 and CT 101. An east-west expressway near downtown Hartford had been planned since the 1940s, which would eventually become Interstate 84. After several alternatives were discussed, it was decided that I-84 would use the Bulkeley Bridge to cross into East Hartford. In 1964, the bridge was widened to eight lanes.


In more modern times, you can actually enjoy the aesthetic nature of the Bulkeley Bridge from nearby parks on both banks of the Connecticut River, and there is even a sidewalk on the south side of the bridge to help you get between Hartford and East Hartford. Hartford’s River Recapture project has helped to change that, at least for those who venture off the highway and onto the pathways that now line the banks of the Connecticut River north of the new Convention and Science Centers. Riverside Park on the west bank and Great River Park to the east include paved walkways from which one can best view the one hundred year-old span. The Bulkeley Bridge is truly a wonderful bridge to cross and is certainly worth admiring for its engineering beauty and detail.





How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Bulkeley Bridge - Kurumi.com
The Bulkeley Bridge - CTMQ
The Bulkeley Bridge: An Architectural Treasure - ONE New England
The Sand Hogs Set the Foundation for the Bulkeley Bridge - Connecticut History
Historic Bulkeley Bridge Turns 104; Oldest River Crossing in Hartford - Connecticut By The Numbers

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80.   This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail.  Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range.  The first documented wagon crossi...

Former California State Route 41 past Bates Station

When California State Route 41 was commissioned during August 1934 it was aligned along the then existing Fresno-Yosemite Road north of the San Joaquin River.  Within the Sierra Nevada foothills of Madera County, the original highway alignment ran past Bates Station via what is now Madera County Road 209, part of eastern Road 406 and Road 207.   Bates Station was a stage station plotted during the early 1880s at what was the intersection of the Coarsegold Road and Stockton-Los Angeles Road.   The modern alignment bypassing Bates Station to the east would be reopened to traffic during late 1939.   Part 1; the history of California State Route 41 past Bates Station Bates Station was featured as one of the many 1875-1899 Madera County era towns in the May 21, 1968, Madera Tribune .  Post Office Service at Bates Station is noted to have been established on November 23, 1883 and ran continuously until October 31, 1903.  The postal name was sourced...

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...