11 Most Endangered

Submitted by Pontist at: September 10, 2009
Though the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) was responsible for helping create (HAER) in the late-1960s, few engineers or highway departments, at the time, practiced or embraced the preservation of their own heritage. Engineering heritage was a new concept, with only a few having any clue of its meaning – much less ramifications for the future. Over the past 40 years, the movement has spread. Today, it is recognized that aspects of our cultural heritage are worth preserving, including bridges like Memorial. ME and NH are two of the most sophisticated states regarding heritage. It would be shameful if Memorial Bridge was replaced. HAER is a federal program established in1969, to create a national archive of America's engineering, industrial and technological heritage.

Submitted by Jared at: August 24, 2009
As a resident of Maine all my life, this bridge has special meaning to me. This is the bridge where me and my dad would drive over to board our boat on the NH side and spend almost every weekend fishing and boating. When we would dock the boat we would go across the bridge to Badger's Island in ME and stop in the local fish shop to grab more bait before heading along the back roads for home. Along the way I would look around and marval at the scenes of Kittery, Eliot and South Berwick. Without this bridge, many people wil not have the opportunity to visit the historic towns of Portsmouth and Kittery. If this bridge is destroyed, it will bring down countless memories that good people have along with a memorial to all the men who gave their lives in the "War To End All Wars."

Submitted by Gothamgirl at: August 18, 2009
Born on the Shipyard, traveled the bridge often throughout childhood -- my sister called it "the Singing Bridge" for the sound the car tires made traveling over the metal grate surface (now paved). Have the governors or DOT departments posted the reports showing analysis of how demolishing this bridge and building new is more cost effective than simply caring for the existing bridge?

Submitted by Lizzie at: July 9, 2009
Having grown up in this area, the Memorial Bridget is a local landmark in New England and is one of the features of Portsmouth that makes it a remarkable seaside town. It would be an absolute crime to replace it with something more modern. In a recent trip back to Portsmouth I could not believe the number of new building projects that are taking place with no regard to the historic fabric of this area. It doesn't seem logical that restoring this bridge would be far more expensive than demolishing it and building again. There must be a solution that means the bridge will be preserved and both the Maine and NH budgets will not drained.

Submitted by cheesey at: June 18, 2009
memorial Bridge rocks

Submitted by cheesey at: June 12, 2009
The Memorial Bridge is considered to be very important to a very large amount of people. This is because it is a very important memorial for people who have lost relatives or friends to World War 1. This was constructed between 1920and 1923 during World War 1 to honour the memory of those who gave there lives for their country. Another reason why it is important is because it is still used as a fully functional bridge that transports lots of people from place to place. But due to its condition it can’t support a vehicle that weighs over 20 tons but thanks to the U.S. Government they have launched a program to repair it where it needs to be repaired to make it be able hold more weight. But it will cost a lot more to demolish The Memorial Bridge that to Repair it.

Submitted by Cheesey at: June 12, 2009
You can't demolish Memorial Bridge as it represents all of the brave soldiers that gave their lives for their country in Worls War 1.If you do you will be upsetting many Americans.

Submitted by L. Strauss at: May 23, 2009
As a child every summer I went to New Hampshire, and we always took the Memorial Bridge. Later in 1965 I was married in Portsmouth and during the summer of 1981 I spent two months working in Portsmouth and Kittery using the bridge almost daily. I never stopped being fascinated by it, as a child or adult. I used to hope that it was going to be in motion every time I went over it, even if it meant that I would have to wait.

Submitted by J R Smith at: May 12, 2009
This bridge is the life line to this historic area of Portsmouth and a life line to the people who live in the south end of Kittery and Kittery Point. I am a third generation Kittery Point resident and could not imagine life without this bridge. This entire area of Portsmouth would be very much put out of good use as it is kind of a pininsula without many other routes to get there. My Grandfather told stories of standing on this bridge watching a submarine (of sorts) travel up the river toward Great Bay during WWII. The residents of Kittery and Kittery point use this bridge to veiw the fourth of July fireworks every year. Locals fish on off the train tracks, and everyone knows the sound of that whistle blowing. In the summer it it tradition that when your are stopped waiting at the bridge to get out and watch the boats passing underneith, and talking with the others "stuck in bridge traffic". I never take the Route 1 (Sarah Long) Bridge, I always use this one. It is a spot to observe the working waterfront of both NH and ME at once. You can veiw lobster boats, the barges at the salt pier, the submarines at the Navy Base, the restaurants, the historic Prescott Park, and the guided tour boats that head out to the Isles of Shoals. Between this and the possibility of Frisee's General Store closing I am fearing the worst for this area losing all of its very long history. Many of the old families in the area are no longer there to tell the stories of the importance of these places, and we rely on these places speaking for themselves to new generations of residents; to increase their pride in where they are from. If we lose our history here in New England, the rest of the country is bound to be next.

Submitted by The Ohioans at: May 8, 2009
My husband and I come out east every year and have enjoyed the Strawbery Banke/Portsmouth Area. We stop and eat along the bay and enjoy the Memorial Bridge and cross it into Kittery. We're from the Midwest and many of the old landmarks here have been torn down, all that is left are corn/soy bean fields. We love to come out and drive through New England and enjoy all the different bridges,lighthouses, white steepled churches, historic landmarks and scenery. We have to get our fix every fall and come out to enjoy the character of the New England area. Too much has been lost. Its important to keep your coastal character .