Wrightsville-Columbia bridge is getting 1930 style lights again
I am glad to see that the new “old lights” are going up on the Wrightsville-Columbia bridge. I have always loved the look of the multi-arched bridge, and I have many memories of crossing it. The modern lights have always looked out of place to me.
When I was a child, my father worked in Lancaster County. Since it was the only bridge between Conowingo and Harrisburg then, he traveled across it to work, and we often visited friends and relatives on the east side of the Susquehanna
The black and white photos above are taken from the 1930 bridge dedication booklet and show how the lights looked when brand new.
The color photos below are of two of the original lights. They now flank a business entrance just west of Yorkana on the East Prospect Road.
Here is a brief synopsis of the project from the Spring 2014 Rivertownes Pa USA newsletter:
“BRIDGE LIGHTING PROJECT
After ten years of dedicated work navigating a seemingly never-ending bureaucratic obstacle course, our project to restore period lighting to the Veterans Memorial Bridge is now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Er, make that the light at the end(s) of the bridge. Recently the lighting at both the Columbia and Wrightsville approaches was installed. We anxiously await the installation of the remaining lights across the bridge this summer. A special thanks goes out to Claire Storm, former president of Rivertownes who had the foresight and perseverance to partner with Columbia Borough and the Susquehanna Gateway Heritage Area in bringing this project to fruition.”
Click this link for a York Daily Record story and photos on the current installation.
