I also rode my bike on that pipe. Also climbed the ice sculptors that formed at one of the leaks. Also caught trout in the pool by the bridge. The bridge was built in 1817 in a 132 days. Approximately 60 ft tall and based on my rough calculations has 6 million lb of granite. Built with horsepower! I was sorry to see the top layers removed (about 4 rows) in order to install the new structure on a level plane with the road. There was a jumping off stone that jutted out that gave one brave enough a dive or jump of 55 ft. I was told that some Highbridge boys did that. The lower bridge was lower (20ft), initially wood logs with planks and later with steel beams, no stone arch. It is now closed. I suspect it was older than the High Bridge since this was an easy spot to cross the Souhegan. The farm that Earl mentions at the lower bridge was owned by Basil Mason when I lived in Highbridge. He was a farmer and police chief in a dept of one. I accidently rolled a steam shovel gear down the hill and into the side of his truck. Put a serious dent in the driver's door. Went down and apologized, he gave me a lecture, and my parents never found out. He was a nice man. It was a beautiful farm. At the time a TV series 'I remember Mama' was being broadcast each Sunday. It could have been filmed there, Basil's wife was a classic 'Mama' and looked the one on TV.
I also rode my bike on that pipe. Also climbed the ice sculptors that formed at one of the leaks. Also caught trout in the pool by the bridge. The bridge was built in 1817 in a 132 days. Approximately 60 ft tall and based on my rough calculations has 6 million lb of granite. Built with horsepower! I was sorry to see the top layers removed (about 4 rows) in order to install the new structure on a level plane with the road. There was a jumping off stone that jutted out that gave one brave enough a dive or jump of 55 ft. I was told that some Highbridge boys did that. The lower bridge was lower (20ft), initially wood logs with planks and later with steel beams, no stone arch. It is now closed. I suspect it was older than the High Bridge since this was an easy spot to cross the Souhegan. The farm that Earl mentions at the lower bridge was owned by Basil Mason when I lived in Highbridge. He was a farmer and police chief in a dept of one. I accidently rolled a steam shovel gear down the hill and into the side of his truck. Put a serious dent in the driver's door. Went down and apologized, he gave me a lecture, and my parents never found out. He was a nice man. It was a beautiful farm. At the time a TV series 'I remember Mama' was being broadcast each Sunday. It could have been filmed there, Basil's wife was a classic 'Mama' and looked the one on TV.
We all rode our bikes on that pipe.