Maine Memory Network

An Act to Provide for Building a Bridge Across the Penobscot River, at or Near to be Known as the Waldo-Hancock Bridge. Public Law, Chapter 126, approved April 13, 1929.

The Act includes provisions for four people, plus the State Highway Commission, to serve as directors with the authority to plan and manage the project, and to acquire property. It also authorized tolls to be collected until the bridge expenses were met.

To see all four pages of the document, click on "view a full transcription."

The Waldo-Hancock Bridge was dedicated on June 9, 1932.

This clipping and the next three are from Governor William Tudor Gardiner's scrapbook in the collection of the Maine State Archives. This Bangor Daily News clipping is dated June 13, 1932.

Dedication clipping from Governor William Tudor Gardiner's scrapbook, Portland Sunday Telegram June 12, 1932

Dedication clipping from Governor William Tudor Gardiner's scrapbook in the collection of the Maine State Archives, Portland Press Herald June 10, 1932.

Dedication clipping, Kennebec Journal June 10, 1932.

The bridge was designed by Robinson and Steinman of New York who also supervised the construction. Although the Maine State Legislature appropriated $1.2 million for bridge construction, the bridge was built for $850,000.

In 1932 the bridge was awarded First Prize for the Most Beautiful Bridge constructed in the United States in 1931 by a committee of architects and engineers appointed by the American Institute of Steel Construction.

During the 1930s-50s, photographer George French captured the scenic bridge span on film for the Department of Economic Development.

George French photograph, taken from the approach to the bridge from the west side in Penobscot.

George French photograph.

George French photograph. Fort Knox can be seen on the right hand side of the photograph.

This Memorandum of Examination of the Waldo-Hancock Bridge from January 15, 1959 was written by Ray A. Tentmel, the Bridge Maintenance Engineer. It discusses the damage to the cable wrapping, the condition of the superstructure and vandalism to the bridge.

The inspection was completed in 1961 by R.W. Hove, Division Bridge Engineer for the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Public Roads.

This two-page report includes sections on Progress, Work Completed and Overruns and Underruns.

The Waldo-Hancock Bridge underwent substantial repairs from 1959 to 1961. The next four photographs are from that project.

This photograph is a close-up view of the roadbed under repair, with exposed reinforcing iron bars (rebar).

This photograph shows the roadbed under repair with the workers in the foreground. The superstructure is still visible.

This photograph during those extensive repairs shows the exposed roadbed with workers in the background.

This photograph is a view toward Prospect from the bridge, showing the road surface and apparently the adjacent bridge footing. There are automobiles in the background.