How Do Middletown's Fireworks Look From The Bridge?

http://youtu.be/DXj7LhKm7ww

Last year, Middletown's fireworks were postponed a day due to weather. For 2015 though, the scheduled night was cool and clear.

The display Friday night lasted over 25 minutes. Check out just 4+ of those minutes, as viewed from the Arrigoni Bridge. 

(I must admit, seeing the railroad trestle illuminated in flashes did remind me of that bridge scene in 'Apocalypse Now'.  But I was not cradling a small dog, and everyone made it home.)

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.

A Break In The Weather

The weather cleared off finally, providing a beautiful cool evening along the river. Plenty of people were enjoying the weather at Harbor Park, including these folks paddling on home.

From 1937: "The Mattabeseck Bridge"

The following letter to the editor is from 75 years ago yesterday, published in the Hartford Courant on February 4th, 1937. The bridge now known as the Arrigoni Bridge opened in 1938, but it did not receive its current name until years later.

The photograph, of a bridge construction crew, is courtesy of The Middlesex County Historical Society.
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This Name Suggested for New Structure to Cross the River

To the Editor of the Courant:-
The new highway bridge across the Connecticut River between Middletown and Portland forming part of the great artery connecting east and the west will be used by hundreds of thousands. The need of a distinctive name which will be as outstanding as the Mohawk Trail or the Storm King Highway is felt. The Middlesex County Historical Society is sponsoring the name "The Mattabeseck Bridge," with the original spelling as found in the colonial records of Connecticut.

The Mattabeseck tribe of Indians occupied the territory now included in the towns of Middletown, Portland, East Hampton, Cobalt, Middle Haddam, Cromwell and Middlefield. This land was bought from them and the deed recorded in our Land Records, Vol. 1. This was the name given to the first settlement in 1650, but was changed to Middletown in 1653 as half way between Windsor and Saybrook. This name has no duplicate inthe country, would have much local significance and would be a reminder of our early history which the present generation as well as the older people, are apt to overlook.

The name "The Middletown-Portland Bridge" has been suggested, but with nineteen Middletowns in the United States and Portlands from Maine to Oregon, it would mean little beyond the immediate vicinity. We all understand the desire of the 26th Division to honor their beloved commander General Edwards. A statue in Hartford would seem more fitting tribute, and we would heartily endorse such a bill. A bridge near Boston has been erected to be named after him, and a duplication of names is apt to be misleading.

The Middlesex County Historical Society of Middletown earnestly hopes that the name, "The Mattabeseck Bridge" will have careful consideration and the name which is best adapted to the locality chosen.

JESSIE M. ALSOP
Secretary Hartford County Historical Society
Hartford, Feb. 2, 1937.

From the Pencil: Come on Over

Businesses Hurt By Bridge Construction May Get Help

The construction on the Arrigoni Bridge is killing Don Sataline’s business.

His store, It’s Only Natural Food Market, used to do a large percentage of its business in the late afternoon and early evening hours - but that’s exactly when the bridge construction brings Main Street traffic to a crawl.

“Between 4 and 6 [pm], we could basically take a European siesta”, Sataline told the city Economic Development Committee at their monthly meeting Monday night. That might sound pleasant to some, but it’s a nightmare for the market and its employees.

Based on the past 4 months of construction, Sataline estimates that his business over 12 months will be down $125,000. He’s now faced with laying off 3 staff members.

The committee heard from Sataline as they considered a resolution to make money available to North End business owners who may have to cut jobs as a result of their business being disrupted by the bridge construction. The city would use federal block grant money to help businesses retain jobs, offering as much as $35,000 for each job that could be retained. Businesses would have to open up their books and prove that the construction has caused losses leading to potential layoffs.

The committee unanimously voted to send the resolution to the Common Council. Meanwhile, Sataline says “People from Cromwell, Rocky Hill, anywhere north of us, are avoiding the North End.”

Concerned about any job losses, committee member Joe Bibisi could only offer encouragement until the Council votes on the funding. “Hang on”, he said. “Hang on tight.”

From 1935: Middletown Bridge Topic At Meeting

This article is from exactly 75 years ago today, published in The Hartford Courant on September 12, 1935.

The Public Works Administration (PWA) was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act, as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, during the Great Depression. The stated goal of the PWA was to revive American Industry, in contrast to the goal of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which was to provide work for the unemployed. The PWA spent over $6 billion.

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Congressman Citron and Senator Thompson Discuss Ways to Make Project Acceptable

Seeking to make the $4,000,000 Middletown-Portland bridge project acceptable to Federal PWA authorities, Congressman William T. Citron and State Senator Harvey L. Thompson of Midddletown, and Leslie A. Hoffman, acting state PWA director, met in the local PWA offices Wednesday.

Advised of reports from Washington stating the bridge project had been turned down by Harry L. Hopkins, Federal relief administrator, Mr. Hoffman said:

I have had no official word from Washington as to approval or rejection of the project. We are meeting here with a view to reconsider the project if it is unfavorably looked upon in Washington.

Washington reports indicated that Administrator Hopkins turned down the bridge project, along with about a score of other Connecticut projects, because the man-year costs are too high, thereby not employing enough men and extending the building of the project over a longer period of time.

Project Called Desirable.

The conference at the State Capitol was called, it was said, to reconsider and reanalyze the bridge project with a view to bringing it in line with Administrator Hopkins's ideas.

Senator Thompson said:

The Middletown -Portland bridge project is very desirable. A grant by the government of $1,800,000, or 45 per cent of the estimated cost of the bridge will not only bring employment to the men actually employed on the building of the span, but to those in the cement and metal plants supplying materials.

Congressman Citron said:

Middlesex County wants this bridge very much. If the Federal Government comes in and assists in the building, it will not only help the county; it will help the state and the country as a whole. The bridge is on one main New York-Boston highway, and other through routes, and the benefits will be widely distributed.

No action will be taken by the conferees, it was stated, until official word is received from Washington as to the definite disapproval or approval of the bridge project.

Oh, Deer!

During a morning walk over the Arrigoni Bridge, I was on the South side of the Bridge, Portland side when a deer, which had been bedded down in the thick weeds near the guardrail, jumped to its feet.

I don't know who was more startled, the yearling, or me. I let out an involuntary yelp, and the deer hopped a few feet away then stopped to check me out.

I was the only one with a camera so I snapped this photo. I hope the deer was able to get back to bed and get a few more hours sleep before the next walker disturbed its slumber.

Sculling in the Clouds

A view from the Arrigoni Bridge.

Oil Spill in CT River

Cleanup began today of an oil spill which occured Thursday in Portland near the Arrigoni Bridge. Local TV and news reports quote the DEP as saying the spill was more than 1,000 gallons.

The Arrigoni Bridge in New Britain

I was surprised, as I am usually pleasantly surprised on any visit to New Britain's wonderful Museum of American Art, to find a large canvas I hadn't seen before.

It's called "Bridge," and is a heroic depiction of the very canvas-worthy Arrigoni Bridge. It's part of a series of monumental architectural oils that Waite has become known for.

If you've been around the area long enough, you may remember Waite as a cartoonist for the Hartford Advocate in its early years. He created a series which foreshadowed Keith Haring, and was as pointedly political, and completely hysterical, as any cartoon series about Hartford since.

A bridge too dark

(Farm Forum meeting at Wesleyan.)

I moved from teaching my boys to ride on two wheels, to the Farm Forum at Wesleyan (the lemonade, farm cheese and native berries were wonderful - John Friedlander has agreed to blog about the content of the meeting shortly), to a neighborhood pot luck, back home with the Common Council meeting on TV.

If you didn't watch, the Council voted to fund the design of a lighting scheme for the Arrigoni Bridge. For the record, I'm all for a lit bridge, but I have to agree with Bauer, Roberts and Loffredo that the timing might not be right for illuminating the lovely vintage design of the Portland to Middletown span. Those in favor argued that the lighted structure will draw visitors to town. Councilman Streeto was more correct in noting that lighting the bridge would create an icon. It would be the only lit Connecticut River bridge in the four states it flows through. It would become a brand for Middletown. But I don't think anyone would be traveling here to see the lights on the bridge.

Many of the resolutions passed unanimously tonight. The Council now is in the middle of a debate on whether to accept the recommendations of the committee which has revised the charter, or to add an amendment to change the suggestion of the committee to extend the term of mayor to four years from two. The council voted to amend the charter revisions by saying that the mayor's term will remain at two years. The revised charter will come up for a public vote in referendum.

Check the Hartford Courant this morning for details on wage and position negotiations between the city, the Council and the Fire Department.