Historic Bridges .org
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About HistoricBridges.org
Description: A national advocacy organization for the preservation of historic bridges in the United States.
advocacy (1122) preservation (682) covered bridges (22) section 106 (18) steel bridges (6) historic bridges (5) truss bridges (3) stone bridges (3) arch bridges (2) iron bridges (2)
Along the banks of Bayou Teche in the heart of Cajun country sits a 1938 rim-bearing swing bridge. Misunderstood by some, but loved by others, the demise of this special bridge was imminent until the Historic Bridge Foundation received a telephone call in the spring of 2007. Despite his tears and my difficulty understanding his strong Cajun accent, the gentleman on the other end of the call was able to explain the story of the bridge and its importance to the history of sugarcane farming and the community
Thus began the saga of the Vida Shaw Swing Bridge. Thanks to a team of dedicated people and a few miracles, the bridge stands today. Although its final fate is still unknown, the bridge is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places at the state level of significance. The federal Section 106 process continues. And a proud Louisiana gentleman continues to take his morning walk and gaze, at least for now, upon a noble bridge that is part of his heritage, and part of the story that defines Iberi
In many ways, that conversation was a pivotal moment for the Historic Bridge Foundation. We were beginning to expand our original work beyond Texas to the other 49 states and were learning more about the importance of grassroots support. As executive director, I was well aware that it “takes a village” to save a bridge, but not until that conversation on an early April morning did I truly understand how deeply a person or a community could love and find their identity in a historic bridge. Saving a histor
Historic Bridges .org
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About HistoricBridges.org