Historic Bear Mountain Bridge photo recreated

Hartriono B. Sastrowardoyo, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
·2 min read

The Bear Mountain Bridge is the oldest of the New York State Bridge Authority's bridges. Crossing the Hudson River and bordering Putnam and Westchester counties on the east and Orange and Rockland counties on the west, it was the first highway bridge to span the Hudson River south of Albany, according to its dedication plaque.

Construction on the 2,257-foot long bridge began in March 1923 and was opened to the public on Nov. 27, 1924. Sometime in the year before the opening, construction crews took a photo at one of the towers, showing people on the roadbed as well as on the arched girders just above the roadway, making up part of the tower's supports.

Staff from the Bridge Authority and other area partners gather at the Bear Mountain Bridge Nov. 17, 2023, to recreate a photo taken by the construction crew in 1924. NYSBA’s maintenance crew climbed onto the bridge tower (in modern-day protective gear) and other staff and guests posed on the road deck below. The bridge opened to the general public on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1924 and was the first vehicular bridge over the Hudson River south of Albany. Originally operated through a private enterprise, ownership of the bridge was transferred to the New York State Bridge Authority in 1940. In 2024, several events are planned in commemoration of the bridge’s centennial.

And a year and 10 days shy of the centennial of the bridge's opening, that same photo was recreated with Bridge Authority maintenance crew as well as other staff and guests.

"It (the bridge) was groundbreaking in that its suspension bridge design was with a steel tower structure," said John Bellucci of the NYS Bridge Authority, in a video marking the 90th anniversary.

Remember when?: Bear Mountain Bridge looks great at 90

Comparing it to the Brooklyn Bridge, which has stone towers, "this bridge was the first concept using steel towers, and actually became the prototype for the George Washington Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge (in San Francisco)," Bellucci continued.

Staff from the Bridge Authority and other area partners will be gathering at the Bear Mountain Bridge to recreate this photo, taken by the construction crew in 1924.
Staff from the Bridge Authority and other area partners will be gathering at the Bear Mountain Bridge to recreate this photo, taken by the construction crew in 1924.

Shhhhh!: Bear Mountain Bridge's secret history

When the bridge opened, a privately financed entity known as the Bear Mountain Hudson River Bridge Company was charged with operating the bridge for a 35-year period, after which New York State would assume responsibility for the crossing (although the state could take over at an earlier time.) It was purchased in 1940 by the NYS Bridge Authority for $2.275 million, according to the entity.

The Bear Mountain Bridge was formally - but ceremonially - renamed the Purple Hearts Veterans Memorial Bear Mountain Bridge when Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation into law in 2018. A similar name, "the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge," was originally intended for the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement, but Cuomo led an effort to name the new bridge after his late father, Gov. Mario Cuomo.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Bear Mountain Bridge construction crew historic photo recreated