Let's look at the Mystic River Bridge

No...Not that one, that's the Tobin in Massachusetts, I'm talking about the one in Mystic Ct.

No not that one either, that is the old New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad swing bridge. Not that I didn't like that bridge, it was a great place. Back then the building up top was the motor room to run the bridge. The bridge operator actually controlled the bridge from the little building to the left in the photo. In the photo, on the right side, you can see a dock coming off the bridge. In my youth I spent many a day sitting on that dock fishing and watching the New Haven Railroad and later the Penn Central railroad clatter across the bridge. I can tell you many a Cunner met it's end at the lockplate end of the bridge. A Cunner is a junk fish, a small pest. We would catch these fish, throw them on the lock plate and when the bridge closed it gears would turn pushing lock blocks into the plates grinding what ever was there into the grease. needless to say the bridge repairmen probably hated us. Once I bought a boat the bridge was left behind, but passing through in a small boat when the bridge was in motion meant you had to pay attention, because the lock plate gears traveled in the lower position as the bridge turned and they were at the perfect height at high tide to sweep you out of your boat.

But that's not the bridge I am talking about either (click and save to enlarge and read notes).

Nope, Wrong bridge also, that is the Amtrak replacement for the previous bridge, the building up top is still Motor-works but the bridge-Tender office is suspended below it. 

This is the bridge I am talking about, the Bascule bridge built in 1922. Route 1, where East Main and West Main streets meet.

View looking south, this view, in my humble opinion...sucks, When I was a kid the dock on this side was fishing and lobster boats, a working dock. It was open to the public, everyone was freindly. Then out of Stater's came,visited and loved the place so much they moved here, bought the property, chased out the working boats, closed off the docks and changed the face of the place. In the 60's, 70's, and early 80's you could walk from the bridge to the end of dock down river to almost the trolly Barn. See that gate in the right lower corner....you lose.

I loved walking on this bridge, swimming and boating under it, fishing alongside side it or just sitting on it drinking sodas and later coffee. I can't remember the last time I walked here. I do remember watching the big gears turn, the superstructure fold and the counter wights come almost down to the ground. Now all I do is curse the thing because when it opens...it holds up the trip to where ever I go to now.