Trestle Bridge in State of Disrepair
The Trestle Bridge, now the site of two suicides in three weeks, had different uses back in the day.
Back in the 1940s that bridge was used by Nashuans as a shortcut to get to Hudson, like my mother Agnes and dad Joseph, who used to walk from Lock Street, go under the overpass and walk to the bridge and then continue on to Hudson where they went to Goodwins, a well-known eating establishment that featured fried clams etc., just as the Meadows did when it was located next to Bensons back in the day.
Today that Black Bridge, which I never heard it referred to as until I read it in the paper, was also a shortcut to my uncle John Waraska's Riverside Golf Course, now the site of condos.
Visiting the bridge last November I was amazed to see the amount of disrepair and holes in the bridge when you look at it facing north. The unused side has plenty of holes in it ,as can be seen in the photos taken that month. The area is used as a tagging site and has plenty of trash around in what used to be a beautiful area to view the Nashua River meet up with the Merrimack.
The dikes are still there and I think they will be part of Renaissance Nashua's plan for a bike path. Very nice views, but it does need some upkeep. Coal trains crossing Hollis Street and Bridge Street tied up traffic for some time... and I think the left side of the tracks are still used for that purpose... but don't quote me on that.
It took a letter written in 1945 from my dad to my mom for me to learn that Nashuans used to walk more than ride. I can't even imagine trying to walk to Goodwins now, which used to be located across from St. Patrick's Cemetery in Hudson, I believe, not with the amount of traffic on that road. Maybe now's the time for city officials to act to see of that bridge can be fixed or blocked... something needs to be done. Just my thoughts.
R. Scott White
3:53 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013
It's in a beautiful spot down there sort of in the shadows of East Nashua, but even those of us who walked our bikes across this bridge in the 70's are a little stunned at how bad it has deteriorated.
Donald Dillaby
5:52 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013
Since there are actually three parallel spans and only one is used, Pan Am Rail has no real need to repair the decking of the unused spans. One other thing to realize is anyone walking on those spans is trespassing on railroad property, which they frown upon
Jason H.
1:24 am on Sunday, April 21, 2013
I had visited the bridge many times when I was a kid exploring the area.
I used to live on Perham St. and then on Lock St itself.
Sadly I do have a relative who killed himself before I was ever born.
All I know is that he jumped into the river and his body was never recovered.
Ever since I can remember it was nicknamed "The Black Bridge" and of course was reputed to be a haunted place.
I am thirty years old now and the fact that suicides are still taking place there is tragic.
I haven't been there in many years although I did have a supernatural experience a long time ago, it would be too long to recount here.
Having such a spot known for suicides is bad enough, I was told by my father that the bridge was haunted in relation to a train that derailed way back when.
Its too bad a place has to be historic for all the wrong reasons.
The bridge was in bad shape when I was younger, I am surprised it hasn't collapsed yet.
It is a nice place to take pictures if you are into abandoned looking areas, it has that worn out rusty charm that some people love, just be very cautious if you do visit there.
Especially at night...not just because of ghosts.