Lower Main Street and Wiscasset Bridges 1847 - 1939

Lower Main Street and Wiscasset Bridges 1847 - 1939. Wiscasset, Maine. , From the early 18th century through the mid-19th century, the only way to cross the Sheepscot River from Wiscasset was by boat. The first ferries began in 1785. These ran until 1832, when the Sheepscot Ferry Company was chartered to run a larger horse ferry from the southeastern point of Wiscasset to near Fort Edgecomb across the river., The first Wiscasset bridge was built in 1847. It was the longest wooden span over deep water in Maine. Half the width of the bridge was made of finished planks. The other half was unfinished, with two rough vertical wooden tracks down the center. It had a draw to accommodate boats, and a toll house to the left of the bridge at the foot of Main Street. Fares were 3 cents for people, 10 cents for a horse and rider, 15 cents for a one-horse wagon or sleigh, 3 cents per beast not in harness and a cent each for sheep and swine., At first, there was not a lot of traffic at any one time. In summer, most people traveled by boat. Throughout the year, there were regular stage coach routes that crossed the bridge several times a day. However, any traffic was somewhat risky. The wooden structure was susceptible to tides below, and in winter, ice and snow from above. Marine worms ate through the substructure, requiring constant maintenance., By the late 19th and early 20th century, summer traffic over the bridge had increased with more frequent coach and wagon trips and early automobiles driving to points down east. The bridge was not built to support heavier vehicles, and it was not well maintained. There were at least 3 major disasters, in 1864, 1878 and 1882, amazingly, none fatal. Two occurred when the bridge broke under stagecoaches, throwing passengers and horses into the water, the third when it broke under a team of oxen., In 1904, the bridge was partially destroyed by ice. Major repairs were completed in 1906. The celebration for the re-opening drew large crowds to Lower Main Street, as can be seen in the photograph here., In 1932, a new wooden bridge was built, unfortunately, with many of the same problems as its predecessor. People still remember the terrifying experience of riding over the bridge with it shaking and creaking below them. That bridge became part of the Atlantic Highway, later U.S. Route 1-the major coastal thoroughfare for automobile traffic., A new concrete segmental bridge was finally installed in 1983, the first one built in New England., Lower Main Street changed along with transportation and technology. By 1877, telegraph wires were installed. These can be seen in the photo from the Edgecomb side of the bridge. Telephone service, with wires and poles along Main Street, came in 1898. The old toll house made way for larger industrial buildings and new businesses.