Parrott's Ferry Bridge

Parrott's Ferry Bridge

9" x 12" acrylic on 3/4" profile canvas

available: $65 + $10USPS

email libbyfife@ymail.com

I have crossed this bridge on many occasions now. It connects the small towns of Columbia and Vallecitos (plus points beyond). It spans the New Melones Reservoir which I learned this weekend supplies power to our public agencies in the two counties, Calaveras and Tuolumne. I found an interesting link here regarding some of the history about people crossing the lake (prior to the reservoir being created) on a ferry operated by none other than Thomas Parrott! This was in the mid to late 1800s and at that time getting across any body of water, no matter how small or large, was a challenge. It is amazing to me the ways in which people managed to harness the available resources in order to live in a place that must have been hostile and foreboding. The temperature swings and rocky topography alone would have been discouraging. In any case, I admire this bridge greatly for its clean lines and simple architectural structure. It is a marvel of modern bridge engineering to be sure; it is one of the longest "pre-stressed concrete beam" bridges ever built in the United States. (link here) I think this bridge, though located in our county, has a broader appeal. Any structure that connects people with one another is important to keeping towns and groups of citizens going both with commerce and socialization. The bridge is a beauty and without it our citizens would be doing a lot more driving to get between the counties.

artist's note: I stood on the Columbia side of the bridge to take my reference photo. It was about midday so the sun would have been a little overhead or closer to the west. The shadow on the side of the bridge was beautiful and served to really demarcate the structure in a way that I found appealing. And though the opposite hillsides have many trees, I chose to highlight what I think is just as beautiful, namely the rich red and orange soil which is so typical of our area.