Eagle Bridge

Eagle Bridge. . , Located in the northeast corner of the town of Hoosick, the Hoosic River divides the towns of Hoosick and White Creek at the hamlet of Eagle Bridge. In the early 1800s the area was called Kingsmills because of a large grain mill run by John King. Sometime between 1827 and before 1860 the name was changed to Eagle Bridge., In the early 1800s a pontoon bridge was used to cross the river by people, wagons, and cattle. In 1827 a two lane, 112-foot wooden covered bridge replaced the pontoon bridge after Ben Joslin's cattle rushed onto the bridge and damaged it beyond repair., Around this time there were a total of six houses in the hamlet, three on each side of the bridge. Caroline Thayer painted the first eagle on both ends of the bridge. It became known as the "Eagle Bridge" and as the hamlet grew the area was known by the same name., The current iron bridge was built in 1899 by the Groton Bridge Company. The village requested two iron eagles in keeping with the painted eagles that had been on the covered bridge. The eagles were cast by John King and mounted on either end of the bridge, Church and Window , As the population of Eagle Bridge increased, the Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church was formed September 22,1878. The cornerstone for the building was laid June 5, 1881., John H. Pitney was a railroad postal clerk for the Troy and Boston line. He started a subscription service among railroad men all over the country and clerks in post offices, expressmen, telephone and telegraph men to remedy the situation. The large stained-glass window, designed by John Pitney, was installed about 1877. Beautifully set amid biblical legend, the principal designs in it depict a dove carrying a letter, pony express rider, early mail stagecoach, R.R. postal car and engine of 1870 vintage, and first stages of wireless and telephone communications., Eagle Bridge Creamery , H.P. Hood and Sons operated a large creamery in Eagle Bridge from 1920-1977. In 1946 a new Hood plant was constructed. The Eagle Bridge plant was the only Hood plant that manufactured cottage cheese. H.P. Hood discontinued operation in 1977 and the buildings were destroyed by fire in 1984., Railroads , The Troy and Boston Railroad built the first station in 1852. This station also served the Washington County Troy and Rutland RR. Eagle Bridge was "important on the map" because the Boston and Maine, Delaware and Hudson, and the Rutland Railroads crossed there., Hotels , There were many hotels, boarding houses and an Opera Theatre when the railroad was prominent. The Del Brown Hotel, The Eagle Hotel and the Dalton Hotel were the most widely photographed., [ Left Inset ] , Use the map above to visit each of the various locations located throughout the Town and Village of Hoosick Falls., The Eye on History interpretive panel project was supported through funding from the Town of Hoosick and the Village of Hoosick Falls through an American Rescue Plan Act grant awarded to the Hoosick Township Historical Society and Hoosick Rising.