A new documentary is in production that details the efforts to preserve the Kingston-Port Ewen Suspension Bridge, more commonly known as the Wurts Street Bridge.
Construction on the bridge began in 1916 but was interrupted by World War I. When construction was finished in 1921, the bridge spanned Rondout Creek and connected the City of Kingston with the Village of Port Ewan. The bridge was closed in September 2020 for a three-year reconstruction project budgeted at $44.6 million.
WPDH.com reported the documentary “The Time Capsule” by Neville Bean and Robert Vandeweghe will focus on the socioeconomic aspects of the bridge”™s history, from the difficulties in its creation to the ongoing restoration work.
The filmmakers have uncovered rare photographs and film footage from the bridge”™s history and insight into the people behind its creation ”“ including Catherine Nelson, a Danish immigrant who was the master welder on the construction project and was believed to be the only female outdoor welder during the early 1920s.
“The bridge is a metaphor, connecting the past to the present ”¦connecting us with those who came before,” said the filmmakers on their website.
The bridge is slated to be reopened for traffic in 2024.
Photo courtesy WurstStreetBridgeFilm.com
