If you want bridges, Trenton has them just nine miles away… and good size ones at that. My husband and I ventured out recently to see two of the main bridges in the city – the Trenton Makes Bridge, and the Calhoun Street Bridge. Both are fabulous.
As far as where to park for this walk, just drive down Rt. 29 to the abandoned Hughes Justice Complex; you can have your pick of the parking lot. (We were the only car parked there.) From there, you can literally see the bridges in front of you. Just cross the road, and you’re on one. We started with the Trenton Makes Bridge.
Now, the “Trenton Makes Bridge”, aka the “Lower Free Bridge”, aka the “Warren Street Bridge”, is a through truss bridge, built in 1804. My guess is that it was built following the famous Pumpkin Flood in the Fall of 1803 that destroyed almost, if not all, of the bridges spanning the Delaware at that time. The slogan, lit up at night, “Trenton Makes, the world takes” was coined by S. Roy Heath in 1910, during a Trenton Chamber of Commerce contest to promote the city’s commercial fame. Mr. Heath, being a chamber member at the time, declined the prize money of $25.
You’ll also find a sign near the Trenton Makes bridge commemorating Washington’s visit to New Jersey on his way to his first inauguration.
The bridge itself, a five-span Warren Truss, has a nice wide walkway for visitors to cross, with lovely views of the Delaware River, the Capitol Building, at least one church and steeple, much of the city, and of the Calhoun Street Bridge. Believe it or not, the first neon sign on the Trenton Makes bridge was installed in 1935!
Even the bridge abutments, as old as they are, were fabulous, with greenery growing out of the cracks in the stones.
Once we had crossed over to Pennsylvania, we discovered a stone levee that went along the river, between the two bridges. The walk along the levee was absolutely gorgeous. We saw geese, ducks, seagulls, and many other birds!
This was truly one of the most beautiful walks I’ve been on.
Now, the Calhoun Street Bridge, a Phoenix Pratt truss bridge, connects Trenton to Morrisville. It is 1274’ long and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This bridge connects Trenton Avenue in Morrisville, to Trenton; it is a major commuter route, but with a 15-mph speed limit. The second bridge to be built at this site, it replaced the “City Bridge”, a seven-span bridge, opened in 1861. And what a beautiful bridge it is, with its thin, angular lines.
So, pack a picnic and go down to Trenton, see some bridges, walk on a levee, and just sit and watch our beautiful Delaware River.
