Bulkeley Bridge, Hartford

The Bulkeley Bridge, also known historically as the Hartford Bridge, is the oldest highway bridge spanning the Connecticut River between Hartford and East Hartford. Completed in 1908, it is a monumental nine-span stone arch bridge stretching 1,192 feet across the river. Built on granite piers, the arches range from 68 to 119 feet in length and today support Interstate 84, U.S. Routes 6 and 44-carrying over 140,000 vehicles daily as of 2005.

This is not just a workhorse of modern traffic-it’s a piece of living history. Named after Morgan G. Bulkeley, a Civil War veteran, former mayor of Hartford, governor of Connecticut, U.S. senator, and first president of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, the bridge is a tribute to his varied legacy. Following Bulkeley's death in 1922, the previously unnamed Hartford Bridge was renamed in his honor.

The current structure replaced a covered toll bridge from 1818, which tragically burned down in 1895. Construction on the new bridge began in 1903, and its completion brought a wide, elegantly landscaped approach to the river, linking Hartford Avenue (now Connecticut Boulevard) with Morgan Street.

Until 1942, the Bulkeley Bridge was the only motor vehicle crossing between Warehouse Point and Middletown, serving key routes like U.S. 5, 6, and 44. Though other bridges were added to ease congestion, it remained vital-especially after I-84 was routed across it in the 1960s. Widened to eight lanes in 1964, it’s still a heavily used thoroughfare and a recognized historic landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its engineering and architectural significance.