Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-03-17
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
The Building of the Old Toll
Bridge
Was Considered a Wonderful Engineer
Ing Feat---"Grent Falls" Were Fa-
nous as "a Spectacle of Nature.


Ing Feat---"Grent Falls" Were Fa-
nous as Spectacle of Nature.
The history of the erection of the first
toll bridge across the falls at this place,
which was given in The Phoenix last sum
mer, has brought to light further facts of
history which will be given as opportunity
arises. The following clipped from copy
of the Massachusetts Spy of Feb. TO- 1855,
the year the bridge was built, shows the
estimate of the undertaking at that time,
and the reputation of our falls for its
scenery:
owe hear from Walpole, state of New
Hampshire, that Col. Enoch Hale hath
erected a bridge across the Connecticut
river, on the Great Falls, at his
own expense. This bridge is thought
to exceed any ever built in America
in strength, elegance, and public utili-
ty, as it is the direct way from Boston
though New Hampshire and Vermont to
Canada ana will exceedingly accommodate
the public travel to almost any part of the
state of Vermont. This bridge is 800 feet
in length ana about 90 feet above high wa
ter mark. Tie attempt to build it was ap-
parently hazardous, but the work was exc
cuted with no other damage than slightly
wounding the Colonel, and the death Of a
young man who fell so feet into the river,
on rock which appeared at the surface of
the water"
At that time these falls were denominat
ed lone of the most stupendous spectacles
presented by nature" and without doubt
in those early days their fame was wide
The putting of the bridge across the river
here was considered as one of the great en-
orip re Of hat tba
only bridge which spanned the Connecticut
river at any point until 1896, eleven years
later. Until the building of the railroads
into Bellows Falls in 1S48 the scenery
about the river here was of a very roman
tic and picturesque nature. This being
the regular stage route between Boston
and northern Vermont, New Hampshire
and Canada it was noted and advertised as
much proportionately as the Hoosac Tun-
| mel route or the Niagara Falls route is at
the present day. Stages and teams always
used to stop at the centre of the bridge to
enable the travellers to see the wonders of
nature. The building of the railroads,
other bridges and buildings, has materially
| changed the scene, as we'll as the facilities
of travel opened up many other more pic
turesque localities and in this way the rep
utation of the "GTeat Falls, as they were
called, has been injured and eclipsed in
modern times.
For many years after the building of the
bridge and canal there was large area of
fertile land on the Vermont side of the
eddy below the mills, extending into the
river much farther than the present sand
bar does. When the canal was built this
was covered by heavy growth of timber.
and after this was cleared the land was of
excellent quality so to be cultivated and
used as gardens until later freshets cut it
out and replaced it by sandy waste.
The old Tucker mansion, owned and &C.
cupied by the various owners of the original
toll bridge on the New Hampshire side of the
river, stood on a slight eminence where
now the Fitchburg engine house stands.
The house was taken down when the road
was built and the frame and lumber taken
from it were used in building the dwelling
of John B. Morse on School street and that
of DR.. Gosselin on Green street. The
small hill on which it stood was cut down
to its present level at that time. The base
of the mansion was trifle higher than the
present roof of the engine house, and the
removal and rebuilding of the house into the
two was accomplished by James and Har-
vey Mead, well known local builders of
that time.
When the Fitchburg road was completed
to the other side of the river, the cars
could not come into this village for some
months until the railroad bridge was built.
An old schoolhouse that stood near the
other end of the bridge was utilized as a
station and Alfred Kemp, who still lives on
Atkinson street, carried passengers, freight
and mails across the toll bridge to and from
the trains with a well known old gray
horse.
complete survey of this village made
in 1880 shows only 43 buildings of all kinds
in map locating them at that time.