Saucon Park Suspension Bridge - Bethlehem, PA, USA - WPA Projects on Waymarking.com

The City of Bethlehem has provided the following information in an online document:

"Among the WPA’s most noted accomplishments in Bethlehem were the stone walls, bridges, pavilions and other structures created in three parks: Saucon Park, Monocacy Park and Franklin Park. The stones, which range in color from a soft gray to a rusty brown, were quarried in Bethlehem and cut by local craftsmen. The mortar is made, in part, by sand from the Lehigh River.

Saucon Park opened in 1919 as the first City park and later received significant improvements courtesy of the CCC and the Works Project Administration (WPA). The park includes a stone, steel and concrete suspension bridge (similar to that at Monocacy Park), stone walls, and bleachers, as well as a manmade fish hatchery."

Source: City of Bethlehem, PA, Preservation Plan 2011:

(visit link)

Page 98-99

The bridge crosses Saucon Creek in the northern part of the park, just to the west of the swimming pool (not a WPA project). The towers are made from the dark stone described above and has a cement deck. There are seven suspension wires holding the decking up and there are fences on both sides to keep one from falling into the creek.

Finally, Charles Brown, who is currently Bethlehem’s director of parks and public property, compares the WPA work to what the ancient Egyptians achieved when they built the pyramids.

The stone, steel and concrete walking suspension bridges at Monocacy and Saucon parks are both “masterpieces,” Brown says... The creek had to be diverted, most likely with sandbags, to enable the stone masons to erect the towers. Block and tackle, a series of ropes and pulleys, had to be used to set the pieces in place.

“It’s truly amazing,” Brown said. “The stones were hand cut marvelously.”

Project type: Park structure/building (other than lodge) Date built or created: 1937 Location: Saucon Park City: Bethlehem, PA Condition: Good upkeep with a little wear and tear Website for additional information: [Web Link]

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