OLD BRIDGE IS CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH GROWTH OF GREENWOOD

The old bridge across the Yazoo River will soon be a thing of history, under the work of demolition now being pushed forward vigorously by the bridge contractors. All of the overhead support has been removed, the first floor of the bridge resting on a false work built underneath.

The new bridge, which replaces the structure now being torn down, will use the center pier, which will be strengthened and enlarged. According to statements of the contractors, the bridge will be ready for use by January 1st.

The old bridge has an interesting history. It’s construction is closely identified with the growth of Greenwood and it’s development of the county, for it’s construction afforded a better access to the western and northern portions of the county, and preceded by but a few years the development of the automobile.

The building of the bridge on which construction work was begun in 1897, did not come without a struggle. The proposal was bitterly fought as being a useless and unnecessary expenditure, and only good generalship and skillful political work brought it about.

It was chiefly to the farsightedness and public spirit of T. Staige Mayre, Father of W. S. Mayre, that the decision to build the bridge was finally made.

Mr. Mayre at that time was president of the Board of Supervisors. A refusal on the part of the other members to order the bridge brought an offer from Mr. Mayre to build the bridge himself, and maintain it as a toll bridge. An election for the bridge was then ordered and carried by an exceedingly small majority.

The bridge, when first constructed, was without walkways, and a constant guard was kept to prevent horses from crossing at a greater speed than five miles an hour. For years, the riding of a bicycle across the bridge was punished by a heavy fine.

The coming of the automobile changed all this, and in twenty years had rendered the bridge, which was opposed so vigorously as being unnecessary, inadequate to handle the daily traffic. After it’s construction, the plantations across the river were surveyed into building lots, and today more people live in North Greenwood than were resident in the town of Greenwood when the bridge was first constructed.

From The Greenwood Daily Commonwealth, July 24, 1924

Home | Previous | Next