Bridgeton Bridge Remembered

 

May 3, 2005 - Hello this is Nathan Brown. I was seeing if there was any information on the Bridgeton Bridge in Indiana that was lost and that is how I found your site.

I don't know if you know this, but I'm pretty sure you do because of what you do but the Bridgeton Bridge in Bridgeton Indiana was lost last Thursday or Friday. It was 245 ft long, built over the Big Racoon River. My wife and I were going to visit my parents and we drive past the bridge to go to their house.

This time we were surprised because it wasn't there. All that was there was this huge mess of burnt wood and tin.

I personally can remember riding my bike over the bridge as a kid in the 1970's and we used to use it to get away from the summer heat. It was nice to hear the water running underneath and to be able to look out the windows.

My grandmother used to tell me stories that she had when she was a little girl during the early 1900's and how they used to go over it on horse and buggy. When I saw the mess that now it is now I didn't know to cry or what as it took my breath away when I drove past it the first time. The next day my wife and I went out there for a better look and everyone we talked to had a story.

I don't understand how anyone can do what they did to that bridge. No matter how many times they rebuild this bridge it will not have the memories like the old bridge had. People in this country I think have lost the one thing that truly makes us Americans which is Pride and the respect of our heritage of our history of our families and our country. I personally love all old building because I like to think of the hard work they put into these buildings and that they didn't have power tools and yet they're standing longer than these high tech houses.

The one thing I wish this government would do is make it stiff prison time for ANYONE that takes fire to any historic site.

Thank you for your time. I'd better go now. I just wanted to share my thoughts with someone who looks like they also care for our past and our future.

Truly,
Nathan Brown

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