The Flood of 1900

In spring 1900, there was a flood which damaged property and, as depicted in the picture, the roads. The stone bridge was built in 1846 and wasset to be demolished as the reservoir came in. Nature had a different plan and destroyed the bridge in 1900, months or even years before the State planned to dismantle it. Because it wasn’t worth it to construct a new permanent bridge, a temporary, flimsy wooden bridge crossed the river for the remainder of this road’s history.

These photos remind us that water, though critical to our existence, is one of the most destructive forces we have ever faced. Much like the reservoir which washed away the town, water washed away this bridge and changed the landscape forever.