Historical Photo
Source: Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges (company pamphlet), 1908
BH Photo #207090
The demolition of this truly unique and highly significant Scherzer rolling lift bascule bridge which occurred sometime after the HAER documentation was truly an atrocity.
The historical photo showing these three parallel but skewed bridges raised is one of my all-time favorite historical photos, since it is such a unique and striking shot. Its photo #1 in the BridgeHunter gallery.
Google maps shows a tiny park next to the former location of this bridge (now replaced by something modern and ugly). The park is named "Rolling Bridge Park." Unfortunately the name today probably has little meaning to anyone since the park's namesake is gone.
Thank you for keeping photos of the Fort Point Channel (Scherzer) rolling lift bridge on your web site.
Your site credits the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) for the photos. However, these photos are only archived as part of the HABS/HAER collection at the Library of Congress. They actually were commissioned by the Massachusetts DOT (formerly Mass. Highway/Mass. Turnpike Authority), and were probably taken by Martin Stupich, one of the best engineering archival photographers working.
Photography (to HAER standards) has been required of agencies and others who must demolish historic structures under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, but it's important to remember that it's photographers like Stupich who actually take the photos, and federal and state taxpayers who pay for them. The rest of us get free access through the Library of Congress, and get to enjoy the photos - it's only right that those who created them and paid for them get some credit.