History: The Iron Bridge, Matawan (1885-1887)

Little Street crossed the Mill Brook ravine using this iron bridge, which was built for the Monmouth County Freeholders by Dean & Westbrook in late 1887. It connected downtown Matawan with residents living to the east. (Photo: 1914)

Below are some news articles on the iron bridge built over the Mill Brook ravine in 1887.

The 13 Jun 1885 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 5) reported: "An iron bridge that was bought by the county but found too small for the place intended, is to be utilized by the careful forethought of Freeholder Dunlop, of this township, in being placed across the stream known as Mill Brook, east of Matawan on the continuation of Church street toward the water-power mill of Cartan & Co. The bridge will be placed on stone abutments and raised three or four feet higher than the present one, and the road graded up to it."

The 14 May 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 4) reported: By resolution passed by the Board of Chosen Freeholders on Thursday morning, the entire Board will meet at the Matawan House, in Matawan, on Wednesday next, May 18 at 2 PM, to take into consideration the iron bridge over the ravine east of town."

The 30 Jul 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal contained an advertisement for J S Harris' grocery store, located at Little and Main Streets, which announced: "The new iron bridge will be built at the foot of Little Street in Matawan. . . ." Week after week through the summer and fall, this ad would speak of the bridge's construction in the future tense.

The 6 Aug 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 4) reported: "Stone has been carted this week for the abutments for the new iron bridge over the marsh at Little street. E Sylvester has the contract for building them."

The 3 Dec 1887 edition of the Matawan Journal (pg 3 col 3) cited $5,000 as the amount of Monmouth County's first payment to Dean & Westbrook for the Matawan iron bridge, as per the county's semi-annual income and expense report as of 8 Nov 1887.

The 10 Dec 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 4) reported: "The first skating of the season was on the 2d inst on the marsh near the new iron bridge. It did not last long." (Reference was made to 2 Dec 1887.)

The 17 Dec 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 3) reported this item from the December 1887 meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders: "An invitation from Dean and Westbrook for the Board to meet at Matawan on the 10th of January next, to examine the new bridge, was accepted." The Harris grocery ad (pg 3 col 3) continued to say the bridge ". . . will be built . . ."

The 24 Dec 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal contained a revised advertisement for J S Harris' grocery store, which announced: "The new iron bridge has been built at the foot of Little Street in Matawan. . . ."

UPDATE: Bridgehunter.com added this bridge to its website about historic and notable bridges of the US on 6 June 2014.