The bridge was designed by noted bridge architect Leffert L. Buck (chiefly remembered for his Williamsburg Bridge spanning the East River). It was completed in 1890 and lasted until 1985. It was unceremoniously dynamited to make way for its successor, which opened two years later.

It's so fun to see what my City looked like 108 years ago. My school bus used to pass through this bridge on the way to home in Henrietta from the deaf school, which is not far off. I always liked to stretch my neck to see the bottom of this valley.

The bridge was dynamited into the gorge in 1986, and replaced with a similar arch bridge.

http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=f52f966e-c3ea-4fbb...

In ^^^this^^^ view, you're looking down the river toward Lake Ontario (5-6 miles...squint really hard...). The large building on the right (east) bank is Eastman Kodak's Hawkeye Plant, at the corner of Driving Park Ave and St. Paul Blvd. Kodak had optical system manufacturing, along with camera manufacturing there. Supposedly did some bombsight optical work there in the 40's & 50's.

I'm pretty sure that the building on the left is a utility power plant and not a mill. BTW modern shots of the same spot show buildings in the same locations, but probably successors to those shown here, and the structures on the right bank are now just ruins.

Colorized, for the postcard.

What is that steep incline for?
Whats on it? Where does it go?

Imagine the climbing somebody who worked on a lower floor of the complex at left would have to do at the end of an exhausting workday. It might be less bother just to move in and live there.

Note the guys working on the bridge, top slightly-right-of-center. Assembling a new bridge, or painting it after it's in place? This bridge doesn't look very old.

Right center of the photo. What are those people doing wading in the river just before the drop off?

[Extreme Wading, an early example of that particular sports genre. - tterrace]

Now *that* is a lot of overhead wiring!