Shelton, CT – Bridges & more.

[wzslider height=”800″ info=”true” lightbox=”true”]As you look through the slide show you’ll see a photo of a dam. This is known as Ousatonic Dam. No I didn’t forget the “H”. It was planned and it’s construction overseen by Edward Shelton, in 1891, for the Ousatonic Water Co.

The dam, constructed from 1867-1870 right after the Civil War, is 637 ft. long and 20 ft. high. It was built for the purpose of harnessing water power, from the Housatonic River,  for what Mr. Shelton hoped to be a spawning industrial community. There were canal’s for small boats to pass the dam at the time but they are not in use today. Mr. Shelton was very successful in bringing industry to the community and the towns population increased rapidly. However in 1975 a tremendous fire, reported to have been arson, took down the Sponge Rubber Products Co. (owned by B.F.Goodrich). This saw the decline of the industrial revolution in the area.  Many companies left the area over the next couple of decades in search of lower operating costs.

I took the photograph of the dam from Riverview Park in Shelton. It should be noted that the dam suffered a catastrophic collapse in 1891. This was due to a design flaw. The dam was originally built with water flowing at a 90 degree angle. This abrupt flow caused the footings to erode and eventually wash away. The new dam, which stands today, was built with a slope to the waters flow.

The remaining bridge pictures all connect the cities of Shelton and Derby. In 2010 Shelton had a population of 40,000 and Derby 13,000. Derby is the states smallest city geographically, (& probably population wise as well), with just 5 sq. miles.