USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Needham > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 9
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Wellesley > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 9
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
II2
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Highway Surveyors Monday next". This arrangement was in force for years, the town directing when the meet- ings should be held, often designating the same evening for the choice of district, or prudential, school committees, but at a different hour. In 1838 the highway surveyors were chosen between 4 and 6 P.M., and the meetings were notified by the surveyors. The moderators on these oc- casions were required to make returns to the selectmen.
As collectors of a portion of the taxes the surveyors were subject to rules, and in 1838 were directed to bring in their books to the selectmen "before their year expires". In 1839 they were to make their returns to the town treasurer "on polls & personal property before July, on Real Estate before November next". The last vestige of the separation of the highway taxes from other town assessments was eliminated in 1874. The highway system was a favorite subject for discussion, and for the consideration of special committees, during the nineteenth century, and subsequent to 1881 there were attempts to return to old methods.
In 1858 the surveyors were instructed to remove loose stones from the roads as often as once a month, and this vote was repeated in later years. In 1859 the selectmen and the surveyors, acting together, were authorized to buy gravel. For some years prior to the abolition of highway surveyors, as distinct from the selectmen, the latter directed the expenditure of the greater part of the highway grant. In 1869 the compensation allowed a surveyor of highways in Needham was $3 per day.
The record of the laying out of roads in Needham is con- tained in special books, the volume beginning in November, 1859, continuing in use to 1901. The earlier book, or books, is said to have been burned in the great fire in Boston in November, 1872.
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Bridges
On February 15, 1713/14, "Thes Town being sencabell of their need of a County breig ouer Charlls River and the town being not all of a mind in which place this breig Shold be Stated voted in the affarmitive that thay would Stand too whatt the Honered Comunitty Shold doe in Statting a place for a breig ofer Charls River bitween the uper falls & broad Medows". On January 27, 1730/1, the town chose Andrew Dewing, John Fisher and Robert Fuller a committee to petition the General Court "that Cambridg Great Cart Bridg ouer Charls River Might be taken Down". On April 1, 1752, John Fisher, Esq., was chosen agent to urge the General Court to free the town of Needham from all expense on account of a bridge over Neponset River because they "have eight Bridges over Charles River that they help Maintain".
COOK'S BRIDGE
Cook's Bridge is the only ancient bridge in Needham that has lost its old name, as far as popular usage is concerned. It took its designation from Capt. Robert Cook, who was, with the exception of the minister, the most prominent citizen of Needham from 1711 to 1756. Early in the last century the Cook family removed from this locality, and gradually the old name, Cook's Bridge, faded away, and ceased to appear in the records of Needham and Newton, but on March 16, 1903, the town by vote declared the names of the bridges, designating this one as Cook's Bridge. On October 18, 1742, the town appointed Captain Cook,
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Robert Fuller, Eleazer Kingsbery, James Kingsbery and Jeremiah Eaton "to finifh the Rebuilding one Halfe part of the Cart Bridge Ouer Charles River Near Eliakim Cook's". John Alden repaired this bridge in 1750; Eleazer Kingsbery replanked it in October, 1752, and in 1753; he also made repairs in 1756, '60, '64 and '69. John Mills repaired this bridge in 1755, as did Ensign Eliakim Cook in 1761. On May 22, 1766, the town chose Capt. Ephraim Jackson, Capt. Eleazer Kingsbery and Dea. John Fisher to join with Newton in "Rebuilding" this bridge, although three years later the town refused to repair its half. Daniel Wight worked on it the next year, and John Marean built, at the expense of Needham, one half of the "Stone Buttlement" in the river at the Upper Falls.
In 1778, and from time to time for many years, the town repaired "Cook's Bridge", "Kendrick's Bridge", "Fisher's Bridge", "Day's Bridge", "Pratt's Bridge" and "new Bridge", and these items are of interest chiefly as illustrat- ing the use of the old names.1
Considerable repairs were made on "Cooks Bridge (so Called)" in 1796. Lieut. Moses Garfield repaired this bridge in November, 1817, when he employed for the work David Ayers and Samuel Floyd.
John Westcoat did stone work at this bridge in 1844, when other repairs were made on Cook's Bridge and on the Turnpike bridge.
In 1873 the bridge at Ellis's Mills, Upper Falls, was re- built at a cost to Needham of $400, and about as much was expended on Cook's Bridge; the next year the town rebuilt the stone foot-bridge.
Cook's Bridge was widened and partly rebuilt by the
1 The "White Oak Plank" used on these bridges was often purchased from Lieutenant, later Colonel, Jonathan Kingsbery, who had a sawmill on Rosemary Brook, on the westerly side of what is now Wellesley Avenue, and who was for years the principal lumber dealer in town. It may seem unnecessary to give details of these repairs, but there is so little about the early bridges on record that everything relating to them is of some interest. In 1771 there was a ford way about half a mile north of Cook's Bridge.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
City of Newton in 1897 on account of the proposed use of it by the Newton and Boston Street Railway Company, which paid $1250, reducing Needham's share of the expense to $960, or about one fourth of the total cost. This bridge has three stone arches, and there is a wooden walk on the west side, which is supported by timbers.
BRIDGE NEAR ELLIS'S MILL, UPPER FALLS
Repairing the bridge "near the Cotton Factories" in August, 1846, resulted in the town having to pay to Barney L. White $900 for obstructing the water, interfering with the dam, etc., although the cost of the labor and material for the repairs of the bridge was less than $200. This bridge, which is on the Turnpike, and west of Cook's Bridge, was at the time of the division of the town a wooden structure, resting on wooden piers, and remained unchanged until 1905. The contractor who tore it away states that he thinks that a portion of the timbers had been in this bridge for a century and a half. The dam near it was also of wood.
There was a ford in the Charles about seventy-five rods west of the Turnpike.
KENDRICK'S BRIDGE
Kendrick's Bridge is near the "Landing place", which is referred to in the early records, and where apparently there was some sort of bridge in 1716. As the bridges were then usually neighborhood affairs, the town records prior to 1740 are silent as to several of the older ones.
On May 23, 1757, the town granted certain men "who were at the Charge of Building the Bridge Neare Capta Kindrecks the Liberty to work out there Highway Rate in Repairing Said Bridg' this year". In 1765 Josiah Eaton, Jonathan Smith and Capt. Eleazer Kingsbery were chosen to join with Newton in rebuilding this bridge. Capt. Kings- bery, who had the previous year been on a committee to
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
arrange the matter with Newton, and who had had experience, appears to have directed the work, although Mr. Eaton was active. Theophilus Richardson was the "Carpenter for Training the Bridge Near Cap" Kindrecks".1 Jeremiah, Eleazer and Ebenezer Fuller worked "Cuting & Carting Timber for said Bridge", which timber was purchased from the townspeople, much of it at about nine shillings per "Tun."
In 1772, or early in 1773, Kendrick's Bridge was repaired by Captain Kingsbery and Benjamin Mills, and about the same time work was done on Pratt's and Day's Bridges; the men then employed were Timothy Newell, Enoch Kingsbery, Ebenezer Fuller, Eliakim Cook and Joseph Daniell, Jr. Within five years "Kindricks Bridge" needed attention, and in 1792 Lieut. Oliver Mills rebuilt it. Need- ham's share of the work lasted until December, 1793, and tons of timber, including two and one half and four-inch planks, were supplied by Lieut. Mills, who got the "Cap peice" from Norman Clark of Newton. The Lieutenant worked on the bridge twenty-eight and one half days him- self and boarded Samuel Fisher, who, with Royal and Gid- eon MeIntosh, Timothy Dewing, Capt. Robert Smith and Enoch Mills, were hired at four shillings per day each. Ensign Michael Harris and Ebenezer MeIntosh also fur- nished timber, Jonathan Kingsbery stone, and Robert Fuller the long "Cheftnut Sticks". The oxen, for which the town payed 5s., 9d. per yoke per day, belonged to Lieutenant Mills, Jonathan Kingsbery, Enoch Mills and Nathaniel Ware, Jr.
In 1860 this bridge was partly rebuilt, and at that time, or in 1861, work was done on the road, now Kendrick Street. There was considerable controversy with Mr. Munson, the
1 Capt. Caleb Kenrick, as he spelled his surname, lived near this bridge. Dr. Samuel A. Green in his book entitled "Groton during the Revolution" gives the epitaph of Capt. Kenrick's wife, who, to escape the turmoil of the war, visited her daughter, Mrs. Dana, in Groton, and died there. The name of Kendrick's Bridge, often Kindreck's, Kindrick's, or Kendreck's in the old records, but rarely, if ever, Kenrick's, is familiar to thousands who frequent the river in summer and winter. The names of our other bridges are comparatively unknown to the public.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
contractor, as to what he ought to do to fulfil his agreements relative to this road. Kendrick's Bridge was carried down the river by the freshet of 1886, and it cost Needham about $1000 to repair the damage, and to build a new abutment; the City of Newton also expended at least $500. In the town report of 1886 this bridge is correctly called Kenrick's.
It is a wooden bridge, and was again repaired in 1902.
THE CAUSEWAY
The construction of the Causeway was one of the very early enterprises of Dedham. The bridge itself was never within the limits of Needham. In 1783 the bridge near Thomas Payn's (Glancy, 1911) was repaired, and in 1791 Needham was at some expense "for a Bridge on the great Caufey built the last year".
VINE ROCK BRIDGE'
Vine Rock Bridge was built prior to April, 1736, by resi- dents of Dedham, Needham and Medfield, and at their own expense, after unsuccessful attempts to have it made a County bridge; it was repaired by the town of Dedham in 1742.
The residents of Needham always objected to paying for work on this bridge, and in 1760-2 there was a controversy, which involved the attendance of Ensign Lemuel Pratt and Nathaniel Fisher on the Court in Boston in 1760. In De- cember, 1768, the selectmen of Needham granted £3, IIS., 7d., 2f. to pay Abner Ellis, town treasurer of Dedham, "Needham's Part of Repair of Vine Rock Bridge" in 1759 and 1760, and charges of the Court; also £1, 8s., 4d., 2f. for repairs in 1766. Dea. John Fisher and Michael Met- calf effected the settlement with the selectmen of Dedham, but in 1772 Aaron Smith, Jr., was granted twelve shillings for "Afsifting the Select Men in the Affair of Vine Rock Bridge". The next year Dedham called on Needham to
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II8
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
pay one half of the cost of rebuilding this bridge, which was outside of the limits of Needham, and the demand was refused then, and again in 1785. The town paid Josiah Ware, Michael Metcalf, Capt. Caleb Kingsbery and Na- thaniel Fisher considerable sums to contest it, but later had to grant to Mr. Fisher about £10, for repairing this bridge, and something over £1 to Capt. Eleazer Kingsbery.
In 1787 Col. McIntosh, our member of the General Court, secured the passage of an Act, November 13, 1787, which released Needham from an assessment of March 6, on ac- count of this bridge. The Act was probably the result of a petition from Needham, dated June 21.1
NEW BRIDGE (LYON'S BRIDGE)
The map of Needham in 1771 designates a bridge where Lyon's Bridge is now as the "New Bridge".
On October 1, 1740, Amos Fuller, Timothy Kingsbery, Jr., and Josiah Newell, Jr., were chosen "to repair or build the New Bridg between the sd Towns of Dedham & Need- ham". On March 8, 1741/2, this committee was granted £26 for rebuilding the "Cart Bridge Caled New Bridge". The money had been appropriated the previous May. Mr. Newell repaired this bridge ten years later, and in 1756, or 1757, Lieut. Amos Fuller replanked it with white oak, at a cost of 3/4d. per foot for the material. In May, 1763, the town chose Timothy Newell, Ebenezer Fuller and Lieut. Jonathan Day to rebuild "new Bridge between Needham and Dedham". Lieut. Day was paid £8, 2s. for rebuilding one half of it at that time, and in 1774 Timothy Newell and Ebenezer Fuller again had charge of the repairs. In 1785 the town voted to discontinue New Bridge, but that same year paid Nathaniel Tolman and Aaron Smith, Jr., for put- ting it in order.
In 1807 Lieutenants Ware and Garfield with James
1 About 1844 the road for some distance was changed, or closed, and a new bridge built farther east.
LYON'S BRIDGE
DAY'S BRIDGE
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Smith were charged with repairing the bridges over the Charles, and were instructed not to assume for the town more than two fifths of the cost of repairing "the bridge called new bridge". In 1826 money was expended on this bridge, including $45 paid Reuben Richards for building "the middle peer".
Lyon's Bridge was rebuilt in 1877 by William H. Ward, contractor, for $10,000; John M. Harris was the engineer. As both the County and Dedham shared the expense, it cost Needham only $4520, including the work on the ap- proach, which was done by Michael Kiernan. This bridge is built upon one bold arch.
DEDHAM AVENUE BRIDGE
Needham's portion of the expense of building Dedham Ave- nue Bridge, which dates from 1871 to 1873, was about $5000. The King Iron Bridge Company contracted for the bridge itself, but John Kiernan constructed the abutments, and in 1872 brought suit against the town, and got a verdict of $398.73. Charles Linehan had the contract for Dedham Avenue at $10,000. This bridge was damaged by the fresh- ets in 1886, and repaired by the two towns at an expense of about $300. It was an iron bridge, planked, and the span was eighty-five feet. In 1902 Needham expended about $250 for stringers, planks and labor on it. The iron bridge was replaced in 1909 and 1910 by a two-arch concrete bridge, according to plans of B. T. Wheeler, and cost $19,028.35, Needham paying one fifth.
DAY'S BRIDGE
In 1754 Selectman Skinner had a considerable bill for "money Expended in the Afair of the Bridg by Jonathan Days", and "the affair of Days Bridg" was in the Court a year or two later. In May, 1756, Timothy Newell, who furnished material for bridges at this period, David Smith and Hezekiah Gay were chosen "to Rebuild ye Bridg Nere
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Leu: Days", meaning that part of it "Laid upon Needham by the Quarter Sefsions". In the sixties Lieut. Jonathan Day made repairs on the bridge "Called Days Bridge", and again in 1793, when he was a Major.
Day's Bridge was rebuilt in 1799, John Day having a bill of $69.50, and in the years 1822, 1843, 1873, 1883 and 1904 it was either rebuilt or extensively renewed. In 1843 William Eaton did the carpenter work, and Ephraim Parker, a well-known stone mason, was employed to build a "Stone Pier in the River at Days Bridge". Mr. Parker did other work for the town the same year, including "turning an Artch Bridge & raising the road near Daniel Morses house", at a cost of nearly $230. Day's Bridge is a wooden bridge, built, as is customary, on stone piers. It was lifted up by the great freshets of 1886. Day's Bridge is referred to in deeds prior to 1795.
NEWELL'S BRIDGE
Newell's Bridge is said to have taken its name from Josiah Newell, who had a rolling-mill on the Dover side of the river. There was evidently a bridge in that locality long before 1800, but our records are silent.
On May 10, 1813, the town chose Lieut. Garfield, Daniel Ware, Esq., and Benjamin Slack, Esq., "to meet the Com- mittee in Dover in regard to the Mill Bridge so calle and make a report to the town". There had been a bridge near the Slitting Mill for nearly twenty years, and on July 2d the town voted "to joine with the District of Dover in building a new Bridge over Charles River, near the Slitting mill in the south part of the Town and laying out a new road as stake out by the selectmen And discontinue, the Road that is now occupied as a town way, and the Bridge". The same committee, with the addition of Major Ebenezer McIntosh and Lieut. Lemuel Kingsbury, was appointed to attend to this work, which was accepted after some controversy as to discontinuing the old road. George Fisher appears to have
NEWELL'S BRIDGE
FISHER'S BRIDGE
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
directed the building of this bridge, or perhaps contracted for it, but the orders show payments to him of only $150.
In 1829 Joseph Newell was paid $6 for services of himself and two yoke of oxen drawing stone for two days to repair the abutment of the bridge at the South Mills. Several hundred dollars were spent that year on the bridges, in- cluding Cook's, where Henry Crafts repaired the abutments, Mill Bridge at the Lower Falls, "Kindrick's", on which $200 were expended, "neck Bridge", and perhaps others.
In 1831 there was a foot-bridge about one hundred and twenty-five rods east of Newell's Bridge. At this period the bridge was occasionally called the "Bridge at the South Mills", but usually "Newell's Bridge", which is the name in 1911. This bridge was rebuilt as a stone arched bridge in 1847 by Haselton & Fuller, and Needham's half of the expense, including flowage damages, was about $1750.
FISHER'S BRIDGE
The records do not say when a bridge first crossed the Charles at Fisher's Bridge, but it was long before 1763, when the town paid Nathaniel Fisher, who lived near, for repairing the bridge, and in 1765 Dea. John Fisher was granted £10, 9s., 4d. for timber, labor and boarding men, "in Rebuilding one half of the Bridge Over Charles River Near the Houfe of the Said Dea" John Fifher", probably in 1764.1 In 1777 Nathaniel Fisher was granted £8 for 153 feet of "oak Plank, which he put onto Fifhers Bridge", and in 1786 the bridge was rebuilt at considerable expense. Ebenezer Clark, who worked on New Bridge in 1785, was nine days "in Framing and Raifing Fifhers' Bridge", and there were orders in favor of others for labor and materials employed on this bridge at that time "and the Wharfage joining".
1 Deacon Fisher lived on the east side of Central Avenue, then "Fisher's Meeting Road", and next to the river, on the estate of fifty acres which John Fisher bought of Caleb Wheaton in 1746.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
This bridge was partly, or wholly, rebuilt in 1807, and in 1847 Haselton & Fuller built the stone arches, of which there are three, as in Newell's Bridge, built by them the same season. The cost of both bridges is included in the $1750 already referred to.
These two bridges, which are crossed by a roadway in appearance like the rest of the street, have required but little attention for sixty-five years.
PIERCE BRIDGE
What is now Charles River Street formerly ended at the Gay-Reynolds place. Jacob Pierce lived some distance south of the road, with a driveway nearly opposite the en- trance to the Gay-Reynolds house.
In April, 1851, the town directed its selectmen to peti- tion the County Commissioners to lay out the road now leading to Pierce Bridge, but in 1853 the matter was still in controversy. In 1855 the bridge was built, and it cost Needham $1812.37, of which amount $1500 were paid to Ephraim Parker for constructing the abutment walls, and the balance to A. K. Howe for the bridge itself.
The bridge has been extensively repaired at different times, and in 1886 the freshet damaged it, and Needham and Dover together expended about $300 in consequence. In 1900 it was again an expense to the town. It is a wooden bridge supported on piles, the ends of the bridge resting on stone piers. Pierce Bridge is perhaps near the site of "Stick Bridge", a small bridge existing as early as 1782. The town records in 1851 contain a description of the proposed road from the Gay-Reynolds place toward South Natick, and it is therein stated that the road is to end "near Indian dam".
The road was built by Capt. William Pierce in 1859, and for many years was called Pierce Road.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
PRATT'S BRIDGE, WASHINGTON STREET, LOWER FALLS
On the map of 1771 a bridge is called Capt. Pratt's Bridge, and for many years our town records gave it that name, or simply Pratt's Bridge. Josiah Woodward, Captain Pratt and Josiah Upham worked on this bridge 1770-2, and in the latter year Pratt and Upham presumably assisted Capt. Ephraim Jackson when he rebuilt it, using white oak timber at 19s., 4d. per "Tun". Lieut. William Fuller, Jeremiah Daniell and Eliphalet Kingsbery replanked the bridge in 1783 and also in 1784, when a committee from Needham appeared before the "Courts' Committee Refpecting the County Bridge Near the Lower falls". In 1792 the repairs of "pratts Bridge" were considerable, and William Fuller, Esq., supplied planks and "Raves".
In 1809 a special committee of five was chosen to repair the bridges, and to determine whether it was necessary "to repair or build prats Bridge". Moses Garfield rebuilt this bridge in the autumn of 1809. Repairing the "Buttle- ment and building a wall" for Pratt's Bridge in 1818 re- sulted in having to pay Silas Wilson $160 for damages. Lieutenant Garfield supplied the planks and the labor for the bridge itself. He was prominent in town for years, and di- rected much of the bridge repairing and road building. In 1823, or 1824, over $160 were needed for this bridge, includ- ing "Stone work".
In 1839 William Lyon directed the expenditure of nearly $300 to repair, or rebuild, either Pratt's Bridge or the Mills Bridge which was near his house. In 1851 upward of $200 were spent on a bridge at the Lower Falls, presumably Pratt's.
In 1856 the town voted to build "a Stone bridge over Curtis's Flume, provided the Town be legally obliged to do it, and that Curtis will do what towards it they consider just and proper." By the word "they" the selectmen are referred to.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
More than $500 was expended on Pratt's Bridge in 1867, and in 1878 the selectmen, in their annual report, called attention to the fact that this bridge cost the town from $100 to $300 nearly every year, although $3000 had been expended in 1873 to rebuild and widen it, according to a plan drawn by Daniel Pratt.
In 1881 it was a wooden bridge, but there were three arches under it, two small ones close to the Needham side, and a larger one, not a true arch, but pointed at the key- stone, on the Newton side. All these arches were built to conduct water to the mills.
MILLS BRIDGE
The Mills Bridge was so designated on the map of 1771; it connects Walnut Street, Wellesley, with Wales Street, Newton. John Slack built "the Bridge Near Hoogs Snuff Mill at the Lower falls" in 1792. Work on Pratt's Bridge the same year has been referred to, and it is possible that Mr. Slack assisted in rebuilding that bridge rather than the one near his house. The reference to the snuff-mill favors this suggestion. In 1845 Ephraim Parker contracted to build a "Stone Arch Bridge" for $323.50, and it was evi- dently the Mills Bridge, which has two stone arches.
In 1860 Needham expended $120 on the foot-bridge at the Lower Falls, George Spring attending to the work, and in 1874 Newton rebuilt this bridge and Needham paid $261.36 toward the cost. This foot-bridge is for the conven- ience of persons wishing to cross from the mills on the New- ton side, or from Washington Street, to the mills in what is now Wellesley, and is nearer to the Mills Bridge than to Pratt's.
HIGHLAND AVENUE BRIDGE
Highland Avenue Bridge, and the road to it from Webster Street were built in 1875, and cost Needham about $13,000, which was less than the appropriation. Barney Dorety &
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Son were paid $5275 for building the road, and William H. Ward $6000 for Needham's half of the bridge, as per contract. It is a fine bridge with three stone arches, and a concrete roadway over it.
THE SMALLER BRIDGES
In 1784 repairs were made on the "Bridge near Mr David Smith's". The next year Moses Fisk relaid with oak planks the bridge near Theodore Broad's. The "Bridge by Broad's Mills" was repaired by Cyrus Pratt in 1792, and perhaps also in 1794, when Daniel Haynes was paid $2.75 for "Cart- ing four Logs to M' Bigelows' mill to make plank", to be used on this bridge. In 1799 the "Bridge by Broad's Mills" was again repaired. In 1816 Daniel Morse, a successor of Theodore Broad, agreed to support "the Westerly Bridge below my Mills and keep it good repair so long as I own said Mills or improve the same". This bridge is on Central Street, near Wood's paint-factory, and the one near David Smith's is on Brook Street, over Dewing's Brook.
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