East Washington Avenue Bridge, Spanning Pequonnock River at East Washington Avenue, Bridgeport, Fairfield County, CT

Significance: The history of the East Washington Avenue Bridge is consequential in two areas. As a bridge it represents an early phase in the evolution of Strauss Bascule Bridge Company designs and embodies two of Joseph Strauss' major patents. It has transitional aspects, electrically operated but possessing a complete, manually operated mechanical backup system and a manually operated auxiliary brake. Secondarily, the bridge site and surrounding neighborhood were the location of industries that developed and expanded the innovative production technology known as the "American System of Manufacturing." The bridge served a dynamic historic industrial neighborhood in an era when United States firms rose to a dominant position in world markets.
Survey number: HAER CT-154
Building/structure dates: 1917-1925 Initial Construction