Put’s Bridge
By: James M., Joey C., Kevin M., and Randy S.
How long has there been a bridge over the Chicopee River from
Ludlow to Springfield?
How many bridges have there been?
Why was Put’s Bridge once covered?
Sign entering Ludlow at Put's Bridge
The first
bridge that extended from Ludlow to Springfield over the Chicopee River had no
name. The earliest record of the bridge was in November 1781, but didn’t
last long. A bridge was mentioned again in the town records in 1788, and
some time after 1792, the town asked any person or people to help build a new
bridge. Bridges back then weren’t as durable as bridges are now,
so they easily washed away by the rain and other weather.
A man named Eli Putnam came along and built another bridge, called Putnam’s Bridge or Put’s Bridge, and most likely it was the first toll bridge. This bridge was opened in November, 1794. Abner Putnam and Parsons Clap built another bridge in 1804 and people had to pay a fee to get over it. The fee for each pedestrian was two cents, for each horse pulling a carriage, eight cents, and for each carriage with two horses, ten cents. The bridge needed replacement in 1812, and a new covered bridge was built. People began to build covered bridges because they thought that it would help the bridge “live” longer. Another covered bridge was built in 1822. This bridge was also called Put’s Bridge and lasted until 1898.
Put's Bridge was covered from 1822 to 1897
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Put's Bridge today from Ludlow side
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Throughout the years, many of the bridges that were built here were called Put’s Bridge. Then, Ludlow Manufacturing Company wanted to build a new, more durable bridge because many of their workers lived in Springfield and used the bridge daily. There was a new iron bridge built by Collins and Norton in 1898, and Ludlow Manufacturing Company paid for much of it. It stretched from Ludlow to Springfield for more than 30 years, carrying all kinds of traffic. A new bridge needed to be built in 1930 after an inspection. The new bridge was built then, and is still standing today. Today’s bridge has been reconstructed but not rebuilt.
Covered bridge from Springfield side
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Put's Bridge today from Springfield side
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From our research we discovered many new things about the bridge that we didn’t know before. For example, there were many bridges built in the same spot, so it must have been an important place for traveling. We learned that the bridge still is very important in people’s lives because it still transports people from Ludlow to Springfield. There have been many improvements over the years that have kept the bridge durable and safe.