Great Bridge, Historic river bridge in Cambridge, US
The Great Bridge was the first structure to span the Charles River, connecting Cambridge to the Allston district of Boston across a major waterway. This crossing served as an essential link between the two sides of the river for travelers and goods.
The structure was built between 1660 and 1662 at Brighton Street and began collecting tolls from travelers starting in 1670. These toll fees helped maintain and support the crossing's infrastructure.
The location near Harvard Stadium and Weld Boathouse became a gathering point where students and visitors crossed between the two riverbanks. People used this passage as part of their daily movement through the Cambridge area and its academic spaces.
The original structure stood exactly where the Anderson Memorial Bridge now connects John F. Kennedy Street to North Harvard Street. Visitors can locate this historic site by using the modern bridge as a reference point.
This was the first permanent land link between Cambridge and Boston, transforming how the entire region developed and grew. The direct connection made trade and settlement expansion between the two communities much faster and easier.
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