WEST PITTSTON — The Spc. Dale J. Kridlo Bridge, formerly the Fort Jenkins Bridge, has connected Pittston to West Pittston since 1926 and those who attended a lecture about the bridge at the West Pittston Library on March 24 may never look at the bridge the same way again.
John Panzitta, a West Pittston resident and a member of the borough’s historical society, presented an hour-long photographic historical view on the bridge’s 93-year existence to about 35 people in attendance.
According to Panzitta, the lecture on the bridge was born from the purchase of a photo album of a series of high quality photos shot by the chief engineer from Whittaker and Diehl, the bridge contractor. Mary Portelli, West Pittston Historical Society’s president, was the successful buyer of the book on eBay after encountering a bidding war for the album.
“We digitized them (the photos) and put them in a PowerPoint format for the presentation,” Panzitta said. “We found newspaper articles on newspapers.com and incorporated them into the presentation.”
“The great thing is it’s not someone standing on the riverbank taking pictures; these are actual construction people documenting the building,” Portelli said of the black and white photos in the collection.
Panzitta said, prior to the Jenkins Bridge being built, reinforced concrete bridges were not the norm of the day. Bridges were steel overhead truss systems such as the current Fireman’s Memorial Bridge (formerly the Water Street Bridge) and the former Eighth Street Bridge in Wyoming.
The Fort Jenkins Bridge, like the Nicholson Viaduct and the Market Street Bridge connecting Kingston and Wilkes-Barre, are considered open-spandrel arch style.
“In the late 1800s, when the technology of reinforced concrete structures became an accepted technology,” Panzitta said, “this (the Fort Jenkins Bridge) was a big deal; it was a very big deal.”
The presentation at the library was a combination of photos and newspaper clippings that chronicled the nearly two-year build while dismantling the former structure, known as the Ferry Bridge.
“John Panzitta did a wonderful job illustrating the techniques used to construct the Fort Jenkins Bridge,” lecture attendee Charles Adonizio said. “With the technology they had at that time, it’s very interesting they used steam power to construct the bridge and what a beautiful bridge it is.”
The Fort Jenkins Bridge was named in honor of the stockade by the same name positioned at the West Pittston side of the river.
The dedication of the bridge took place on Feb. 2, 1926 with a brief parade from Pittston to the site, the dedication witnessed by several thousand people and finally a banquet later that evening in honor of those who made the bridge possible.
In a Pittston Gazette article on Feb. 3, 1926, it was stated the accomplishment of starting the bridge was “the greatest public improvement ever made in upper Luzerne.”
On the day of the dedications, William Conlon, of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, said, “Look at it – behold its graceful contour – its magnification proportions – its natural dimensions – its uniform perfection – strong and rugged, yet peaceful and refined – Fort Jenkins Bridge is truly a work of art.”
He went on to say, “Contemplate its usefulness – linking East Pittston and West Pittston. Over those arches of concrete and steel will travel countless thousands yet unborn. Your children and my children and our children’s children will pass here when we are gone.”
The Fort Jenkins Bridge was rehabilitated in 1986 and renamed the Spc. Dale J. Kridlo Bridge on Sept. 24 of that year in honor of Kridlo, a Pittston native who was killed in action Nov. 7, 2000 while serving in Afghanistan.
Dave Bauman, West Pittston Library director, expressed gratitude to the historical society for choosing the library to host the event.
“We’re thrilled to be able to host local programs like the historical society and other programs,” Bauman said. “It’s always good to be able to be able to be a hub to the community for things like this and to work hand-in-hand with the historical society is always something we look forward to.”
