Sunday, February 24, 2013

From 1963: Bridge Rededication Planned Memorial Day

The following article is from about 50 years ago today, published in the Hartford Courant on February 21, 1963.
There had been at least three previous attempts to name the bridge, including Seicheprey, Mattabeseck, and my personal favorite, General Clarence Ransome Edwards Yankee Division Memorial Bridge
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Re-dedication of the Connecticut River Bridge between this city and Portland as the Arrigoni Bridge now is being planned for May 30, Memorial Day.

Preliminary plans for a holiday program were started Wednesday by a small committee of the Chamber of Commerce with other city representatives.

Named For Former Senator
The bridge was renamed at the last session of the general assembly as the Arrigoni Bridge in honor of former state Senator Charles Arrigoni who served as chairman of the county commission which erected the bridge, starting in 1936. The bridge was dedicated in 1938 by state officials after a big parade.

It was known simply as the Middletown-Portland Bridge. The county delegation in the general assembly two years ago pushed through the legislation to honor Arrigoni, a well known Durham contractor.

Regatta Day

Plans for the new dedication still must be made but they may be held as part of a holiday celebration which each year includes the Connecticut Outboard Assn. race regatta on the Connecticut River here.

This usually attracts more than 100 racing outboards in several classes for the events.

New Daughter
A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Chadbourne of 69 Front St., in Middlesex Memorial Hospital Wednesday.

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