Historic Bremen

The bridge over the Yellow River at North Center Street has been identified for demolition. Historic Bremen, county historian Kurt Garner, and others are trying to get the bridge repaired rather than replaced. It’s a historic structure built of large stones covered in concrete built in 1901 and faced with flat stones in 1907, when Shadyside Park was being fitted out.

At the time, it was believed it would last 500 years, but the bridge is now in need of the attention of engineers, with cracks in the structure caused by heavy modern trucks and trains.

It always seems reasonable to say “It would cost more to repair it than to replace it,” but that’s true of nearly everything in our throwaway society these days. And if we demolish everything when it breaks, we’d soon have nothing historical at all.

The same kinds of discussions may soon come up about our historic standpipe water tower, which has been a landmark (and a trademark of the town) since 1893. There are only a few like it left in the world; and we should take pride in it.

Talk to the town leaders. Engage with Kurt Garner, who is currently trying to get the bridge reclassified as “select” (historically important to the state).

Below is our gallery of the history of the history of the Center Street bridge.