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| The span rises (photo copyright 2010 Aaron Schultz) |
In honor of the Portland Bridge Festival I've uploaded a few photos of the Hawthorn Bridge, which turns 100 this year. I was instantly enamored with the Hawthorn Bridge the first time I stepped into it’s space. After not picking up my camera for a few months the Hawthorn Bridge was my first subject so I hope I did it justice.
There are eight bridges that connect downtown Portland with the east-side neighborhoods. The Hawthorn Bridge, along with the Steel Bridge, is a turn of the century vertical-lift bridge. Suspended over the roadway are two huge concrete counter weights and an operators cabin. Some might call it a drawbridge, but technically I think that is a different style of bridge.
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| The Morrison Draw-Bridge from the Hawthorn Bridge (photo copyright 2010 Aaron Schultz) |
A few times a week my commute to downtown Portland takes me over the Hawthorn Bridge. Sometimes I bike and sometimes I walk. I prefer walking because it gives me more time to absorb the downtown Portland, the Willamette River and the Hawthorn Bridge.
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| Bike commuter on the way home (photo copyright 2010 Aaron Schultz) |
Stepping onto the Hawthorn Bridge a subtle reality slowly takes over my senses. I smell a sentient mix of metal and river. The roadway sings as each car passes. The elegant superstructure latticesses light and oncoming traffic. A soft breeze carrying sun or rain, but always humid, caresses my exposed skin. Whizzing bikers pass on my left while tourists lean against the railing and gaze at the river.
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| Looking back on the Hawthorn after work (photo copyright 2010 Aaron Schultz) |
(Please check out part 2 , Hawthorn Bridge Adrift in Time, on my literary blog)
