This New England

-- Photos and caption by William Morgan

The World War Memorial Bridge linking Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, N.H., was one of the the country's largest vertical lift bridges when it was dedicated in 1923; its nearly 300-foot lift span was the nation's longest. Spanning the turbulent and historic Piscataqua River, the Maine side is Badger's Island, the place where John Paul Jones founded the U.S. Navy in the Revolutionary War. The Portsmouth Navy Yard -- famous for the submarines built here in World War II -- is just below the bridge.

The bridge was a joint project of the Granite State, Maine, and the federal government (Josephus Daniels was then secretary of the Navy, while Maine's governor was Percival Proctor Baxter, best known for his efforts to save the Maine wilderness, particularly Mt. Katahdin). These three governments are now charged with restoring or demolishing this historic bridge. A two-year renovation, to cost around $45 million, was to have begun by now, but the project has been stalled due to the economic slowdown.

Memorial Bridge is the only pedestrian and bicycle crossing between the two towns. It destruction would be a real loss. We can invest billions in trying to save, say, dubious institutions like General Motors or Bank of America, but we flinch when it comes to preserving landmarks--such as this American engineering marvel--that truly contribute meaning and beauty to our way of life.

 Tags  Kittery Maine Portsmouth Navy Yard William Morgan World War Memorial Bridge

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