Memorial Bridge from East Belfast, Me

Memorial Bridge from East Belfast, Me

"Memorial Bridge from East Belfast, Me" 1949, Belfast, Memorial Bridge View of the Memorial Bridge from the east side. The new, concrete, Memorial Bridge, Maine's largest memorial to the veterans of World War 1 was completed in 1921. The $400,000.00 bridge was dedicated in October before the largest crowd in Belfast history by Governor Percival Baxter. Talk had begun in 1920 concerning construction of an auto bridge to cross the Passagassawakeag River. This bridge would replace the old wooden bridge in place at the time. Initially the location being discussed for construction of the bridge was at the foot of Main. It was concluded that construction of a bridge at that location would be too costly due to the lengthy span required. It was decided to locate the bridge between the sardine and fertilizer plants. On June 5, 1920 the existing bridge collapsed under the weight of a 4 ton truck loaded with film. Construction began on the new bridge 3 days later with arrival of 40 men and 10 railroad cars full of equipment. The bridge remained in service until the construction of a Route 1 bypass and the new Veteran's Memorial Bridge which was dedicated on September 3, 1963. To the left of the bridge on the far side, one can see the sardine plant. Originally, "sardines" a different fish, were a luxury item imported from Russia. In the late 19th century, juvenile herring caught in weirs in the Lubec area were being canned and called "sardines". They caught on and by 1910, the Lubec Sardine Company had built four plants in Eastport and Lubec. As supplies of the herring became scarce in the area, the owners (Messrs Pike and Peacock) looked to expand in the Penobscot Bay area. To this end they built the plant in Belfast and began canning in August of 1911.