High Street Bridge

The original High street bridge was a covered wooden bridge that was about one-third the width of the present structure.  To the south of it a driveway led down to the water where it was customary to water the horses and cows of the town. 

That old covered bridge was the "dead line" across which the "cheap side" and "Bunker Hill" boys never dared venture without chance of being licked by the crowds on either side ever willing to keep up an old feud that was notorious in those days.

The covered bridge was replaced with a beautiful stone bridge of three arches.  The stone structure was also only half the width of High street and increasing traffic made it necessary to supplement it with a wooden structure covering the rest of the road width.  For years the sidewalk along south High street ended at the door of the Democratic Watchman's office and pedestrians were compelled to step out onto the street in order to cross. 

Later a demand for a side walk on the south side prompted council to extend the bridge and to support the middle of the extension with a large wooden post planted in the centre of the creek.  The street portion of the wooden bridge was supported by a stone pier.  This bridge stood until one spring the car works dam went out from a heavy ice floe.  The ice first knocked out the wooden support of the side walk, then battered down the stone pier.  The entire wooden structure fell into the stream.  Lodging against the stone arches, the wood acted as a dam.  For a brief time the water raised to the level of the street.  Before the creek overflowed onto Water street the ice battered the planking through the arches and the current swept it away.
The next change was made when the stone arch bridge was torn out and an  iron structure erected in it's place. 

Prior to this Water street, at High street was too narrow for vehicles to pass.  Solving that problem was part of the argument in favor of tearing out the stone arch.  Water street at the intersection of High was filled in some four or five feet and new retaining walls built out flush with the new bridge abutment.

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