Bailey Island Bridge

Aware of the many ‘bridge’ fans here at TravBuddy, I am compelled to highlight the unique conduit linking Orr’s and Bailey Islands in Maine. Although there had been a desire for many years to span the gap with the charming name of ‘Will’s Gut’, funding and nasty tides complicated the matter. But the prosperity of the 1920’s and Yankee ingenuity would combine to resolve the dilemma.

Capitalizing on the bounty of local granite, a “cribstone” bridge was constructed. What this implies is a cross hatching of hefty slabs of granite with gaps of sufficient size to allow water to flow back and forth through the structure. At the same time the granite slabs are so heavy that they don’t get washed away! This one-of-a-kind bridge remains in service today and its fascinating architecture resulted in it being named to the “National Register of Historic Places” in 1975. Similarly, the Bailey Island Bridge was recognized as a “Historic Civil Engineering Landmark” in 1984.

Something not to be missed during your tour of Maine, especially because visiting the granite cribstone bridge means you also have to enjoy the natural beauty of Orr’s and Bailey Islands!