Time Travel: '80s Simpson Elementary Walking Bridge and Work from 1959 on U.S. Route 50 in Clarksburg
By Dick Duez on August 02, 2026 from History Blog
Decades of students, along with years of use by the community, have utilized the old and current bridge leading from Simpson Elementary School down to Main Street. This photo from 1987 shows the bridge as it was aging. For the author of this blog, it was the location of many grade school snowball fights.
For many, it seems like the current stretch of U.S. Route 50 between Clarksburg and Bridgeport has been there for a lifetime. And for many, that's the case. This photo shows the current four-lane under contstruction around 1959. In the background to the right are Towers and Central schools, both of which have been demolished.
Editor's Note: This ongoing photo feature of pictures from Bridgeport and throughout the Mountain State is part of local historian Richard "Dick" Duez's collection. Duez, the unofficial historian of Bridgeport, would appreciate any scanned photos emailed to him for use here or to include in his ongoing efforts to preserve local history. You can email photos, or let him know how to acquire copies of photos you may have in your possession, to Duez at at dick@duez.ws
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