Before the Footbridge - Part 1 by Pete Zizka 10-29-2022

(Part 1 of2) From circa 1850-1905, the need for a better connection between Main and Pleasant Streets had been a burning issue. How to address it became a long, roundabout, confusing story. Historian Allen B. Lincoln, as well, said that Willimantic’s growth, both industrial and residential was represented by, “a long straggling line of homes” from today’s Vermont Drive to Jillson Hill. But so too did Willimantic grow on the south side of the river along Pleasant Street. In the early 1800s, Main Street was part of the Windham Turnpike and was known as “the turnpike to Hartford”. Pleasant Street was part of the Columbia Turnpike whose builders made no effort to cross the river into Willimantic but continued along the south bank of the river to the intersection with the Windham Turnpike at the former Jillson Hill. And so, on each side of the Willimantic River, two distinct neighborhoods grew. Interestingly enough, according to several historical reminiscences, people on either side of the river referred the opposite side as “over the river”. Main Street on the north side of the river became an industrial and commercial area. On the south side, Pleasant Street and beyond became home to many influential citizens, among them General L.E. Baldwin, Judge Wheeler, Sheriff A.B. Green, Judge Hall, Colonel Jillson, William Burleson and Willard and James Hayden. A problem, however, was that there was no easy way to cross from the Pleasant Street side to the Main Street side. As of 1850, only two wooden bridges crossed the river and neither of those had a pedestrian walkway. The Windham Road bridge was rebuilt in 1857 to replace the old, wooden “Iron Works Bridge”. At Bridge Street, the wooden bridge was replaced in 1869 by what was then the largest stone arch bridge in Connecticut. But not until 1875 was a pedestrian walk added to the Windham Road bridge. In 1908, the Bridge Street bridge was modified by the addition of a new overhanging sidewalk. Newspaper articles show that as early as 1860, people on both sides of the river wanted a suitable way to cross. With the coming of the railroads, a railroad bridge had been built over the river in 1849 and people had begun to use it. The Willimantic Enterprise of January 11, 1877 reported that a petition had been prepared by E. B. Sumner and 54 others, "praying for a survey and lay-out of a foot way and footbridge...from Main Street to Pleasant Street." But the cost was considered to be too expensive, and the plan was abandoned. A year later the Enterprise editorialized that, "the question of a foot bridge from Pleasant Street to Main street is again agitated. It is stated that the approaches will cost $10,000. We think that the same amount of money would do more good if spent on an efficient system of sewerage."  In 1879, the “Willimantic Journal” mentioned that “A.R. Morrison has built a flight of steps from the river bank to Pleasant street, which will be well patronized and appreciated by parties living in that vicinity.” As the result of many requests for a pedestrian walkway, “The Court of Burgesses at its July, 1880 meeting, appointed a committee to ascertain and report the probable cost of a foot-way and bridge eight feet wide, in accordance with a plan now in the Borough office, from Main Street between the residences of James Walden and Chester Tilden to Pleasant Street near the house of E.S. Boss. The Burgesses’ vote was to, “lay out a foot path or highway from Main Street to Pleasant Street. Commencing at a point on Main Street and running southerly on lands of James Walden and Chester Tilden, thence southerly across lands of N.Y. & N.E. railroad and lands of N.L.N. railroad across the Willimantic river and lands of heirs of John Tracy to the northwestern corner of lands of E.S. Boss, thence on said heirs' lands to Pleasant Street.”  What came of the plans was known as “The River Path”. The bridge consisted of two, separated tracks and it had a had a walkway with a railing on the inside of one of the tracks. From the bridge, people walked on another walkway which connected to Mr. Morrison’s “set of steps” (see today’s photo). In the early 1960s, there were still remnants of a path and a set of steps behind the house that is east of the footbridge path. One could walk all the way…to the railroad bridge on the south side of the river.                                                            Click on photo for larger version

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