Work on the AT&T tract at the King George Rd./Rt. 78 intersection which began last month is not the first time that area of the township has seen such construction. Back in l932 an old A-Frame bridge which spanned the Dead River was demolished to make way for a modern structure. Then in l966 the Passaic and Dead Rivers were relocated and the l932 bridge was torn down. Accompanying this article are photos of the A-Frame bridge taken in l932 by Arline Ralph Freehauf. "King George Rd. in those days was just a narrow gravel road," writes Mrs. Freehauf's son, Frank. "The Dead River was narrow, though deep; the 1932 bridge that replaced the A-Frame was considerably longer since the river's channel was at least doubled in width." "There were three A-Frame bridges in the area. Perhaps a quarter mile or so down stream on the Passaic an A-Frame served to connect two parts of the Faber and Buss dairy farm. I recall watching cows being driven to pasture over this bridge, as well as farm machinery passing over. A third A-Frame was further down stream and spanned the Passaic at Old Stirling Rd. I crossed this bridge with my automobile the last time not more than 20 years ago, holding my breath all the way. But Old Stirling Rd. from Mountain Ave. north has been closed off in Warren Township for many years now. Several years ago I decided I should take pictures of this last A-Frame so I went to Stirling and turned in at the extension of Main Ave. and drove toward the river. Nothing was there. No sign of the bridge remains, not even a piece of concrete or stone." "Before the county demolished the A-Frame bridge on King George Rd, a temporary bridge routing traffic over the Dead River was constructed immediately to the west of the existing bridge so that a new bridge could be built in the same location without realigning the road. When the present bridge built in l966 was constructed, it was placed further north due to the realignment of the Passaic River and the establishment of a new confluence with the Dead River." |