51.
June 28, 1928. From the top of the finished west pier of the highway bridge looking west toward the west anchorage and roadway.
Poughkeepsie Mid-Hudson Bridge Construction
The idea for the Mid-Hudson Bridge was introduced to the New York State Legislature in 1923 by J. Griswold Webb and John M. Hackett. At that time, the only bridge across the Hudson River south of Albany was the Bear Mountain Bridge.
A great deal of lobbying was done by citizens in the Poughkeepsie area for a vehicular span, due to the efforts of the Hudson Valley Bridge Association. The Association consisted of a broad cross-section of local leaders, ranging from business people to civic groups to area clergy. One of the strongest proponents of a bridge in Poughkeepsie was a Catholic priest by the name of Monsignor Joseph Sheahan, who served as the pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Poughkeepsie at the time.
Governor Alfred E. Smith signed bridge legislation in 1923, appropriating $200,000 to provide surveys, specifications and other preliminary work. The New York State Department of Public Works was charged with the job of constructing the span while the design of the bridge was awarded to Modjeski and Moran.
Ralph Modjeski, one of the most celebrated bridge designers in America in the 20th century was already familiar with the area because of his work on the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge. His gothic design brought the Mid-Hudson Bridge much praise, described as “superbly beautiful…the span is one of the very finest American suspension bridges,” by Daniel Plowden in his 1974 book Bridges. When it first opened, the bridge won recognition as the most beautiful suspension bridge in this part of the country. In 1983, the Mid-Hudson Bridge was honored by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a New York State Civil Engineering Landmark.
The opening day celebration on August 25, 1930 was officiated by Governor and Mrs. Roosevelt, former Governor and Mrs. Smith and Poughkeepsie Mayor Lovelace. The celebration included a parade, official dedication ceremony in Union Square, clambake, music, a block dance and fireworks. At 5:30 P.M., Mrs. Smith cut the ribbon on the east side of the span while Mrs. Roosevelt cut the ribbon on the west. An auto procession began from both sides and met in the middle. On that first day, 12,000 automobiles and 30,000 pedestrians crossed the Mid-Hudson Bridge for free.
The 127 stereographs in this collection were obtained on Nov. 15, 2008 at Hyde Park Country Auctions, Salt Point, Dutchess County, NY at an auction of material from the estate of Capt. John Miller of Poughkeepsie, NY. He lived to age 102 and was a world-renowned test pilot and aviator. He was also the elder brother of Lee Miller, the American photographer and photojournalist. These stereographs were likely made by Lee’s father, Theodore Miller. Various individuals are identified in the images including a few of John Miller.
52.
June 28, 1928. From the top of the finished west pier of the highway bridge looking north toward the railway bridge.
53.
Aug. 31, 1928. Approach leading to the bridge on the West shore.
54.
Aug. 31, 1928. Approach leading to the bridge on the West shore. [Duplicate]
55.
Aug. 31, 1928. West abutment.
56.
Aug. 31, 1928. At work on the west abutment. The end of the west pier may be seen at the extreme right.
57.
Aug. 31, 1928. West approach looking North.
58.
Aug. 31, 1928. West Pier from West approach.
59.
May 13, 1929.
60.
June 15, 1929. Erecting the steel work on the river piers.
61.
July 22, 1929. Erecting the steel bridge towers from the De Laval tower building.
62.
Aug. 28, 1929. Putting the finishing touches on the steel towers from the De Laval Tower building.
63.
Sept. 6, 1929. Finishing the east anchorages.
64.
Untitled.
65.
Sept. 6, 1929. Looking west from the east approach. Steel castings for suporting the cables as they emerge from the anchorages, one of which with a ladder in it shows on the extreme left.
66.
Sept. 18, 1929. Rocking cast steel cable saddles above the east anchorage.
67.
Oct. 10, 1929. Preparing to string the temporary cables for the cat walk at the east anchorage.
68.
Oct. 10, 1929. Preparing to string the temporary cables for the cat walk at the east anchorage.
69.
Oct. 24, 1929. Building the catwalks prior to construction of the main cables. On the near left hand walk a group of workmen may be seen constructing the walk which is ten feet wide. Photographed from Union Square.
70.
Nov. 16, 1929. Building the Poughkeepsie Highway Bridge. Constructing the ten foot wide catwalks in preparation for building the main cables.
71.
Nov. 21, 1929. Poughkeepsie approach.
72.
Nov. 21, 1929. The Separator Works from the north catwalk.
73.
Nov. 21, 1929. Catwalks from one of the cross bridges near the eastern end.
74.
Nov. 21, 1929. From the east anchorage toward Highland.
75.
Nov. 21, 1929. From the west anchorage toward Poughkeepsie.
76.
Nov. 21, 1929. On the north catwalk from a small bridge connecting the north and south catwalks. Left to right: Messrs. Hubbard, Spross, Hall and Scott.
77.
Nov. 21, 1929. The Separator Works from the West Tower.
78.
Untitled.
79.
Nov. 21, 1929. Looking north on the west shore.
80.
Nov. 21, 1929. From a cross bridge between the two catwalks.
81.
Nov. 21, 1929.
82.
Nov. 21, 1929. Catwalks on the central span from the west tower. The center of the span is very much beyond the optical center, it being exactly at the second cross bridge.
83.
Feb. 5, 1930. Building the parallel wire cables at the east anchorage.
84.
Feb. 28, 1930. Dismantling the erection equipment for cable building.
85.
Feb. 28, 1930. Building the north cable from the east approach. Ice in the river.
86.
Feb. 28, 1930. At work on the cables at the east anchorage.
87.
Feb. 28, 1930. Dismantling the overhead work at the east anchorage which was a part of the wire haulage system used in fabricating the cables. The last strand of 360 wires is not yet quite in place with the other strands.
88.
Feb. 28, 1930. Mr. Bone beside some spools of wire for use in building the main cables on the east approach. There is about 20 miles of wire on each spool.
89.
Feb. 28, 1930. Closeup of the east anchorage of the south cable.
90.
March 9, 1930. Haulage machinery used for pulling the parallel wires back and forth in building the main cable.
91.
March 15, 1930. Separator Works from near the east tower.
92.
March 15, 1930. Dutton lumber yard, Gas & Electric station and building the new gas holder which shows just above the bridge. From the east tower of the highway bridge.
93.
March 15, 1930. Poughkeepsie railway bridge and ferry boats “Poughkeepsie” and “Governor Winthrop” from the catwalk.
94.
March 15, 1930. The north cable saddle on top of the east tower. Left to right: Blanche Seaman, Master Baker and Mr. Hanson, Resident Engineer of the Modjeski & Moran.
95.
March 15, 1930. River span and Poughkeepsie from the top of the west tower.
96.
March 15, 1930. Beside the north cable toward Poughkeepsie. Mr. H.I. Baker and his son in front. Blanche Seaman and Mr. Hanson, Resident engineer for Modjeski & Moran.
97.
March 15, 1930. Blanche Seaman standing on the north cable near the center of the river span.
98.
March 15, 1930. The north catwalk and main cable. Ben Holden and Mr. Hanson, Resident Engineer.
99.
March 15, 1930. A section of the north cable and a steel casting for one of the suspender cables.
100.
March 15, 1930. West side of the east tower looking straight down from the top.