Take a Stroll Through History
The Willimantic Footbridge was erected in 1906. For years there had been discussion of constructing a footbridge to link Pleasant Street and Main Street, but the town could not afford the expense of construction. The idea was to give the mill worker who lived on the other side of the river easy access to Main Street. The bridge is constructed of wrought iron with wooden decking. It cost $12,000.00 to build, a lot of money in 1906. The original color was black, but it has now been painted green. The Willimantic Footbridge is the only Footbridge east of the Mississippi River to span a highway, railroad tracks, and a river (the Willimantic River). The bridge is 635 feet long and was fabricated in 5 sections by the Owego Company of Owego, New York. The pieces were shipped to Willimantic by train. The bridge was designed by local engineer Robert E. Mitchel. In 1978 the footbridge was placed on the National Register of Historical Places.