First showing about bridge that ‘spans two centuries, connects two towns’
More than 400 history buffs from both sides of the Delaware River packed the Bucks County Playhouse on April 10 to view the New Hope Historical Society’s first screening of its documentary, “The New Hope-Lambertville Bridge Connecting Two Towns Spanning Two Centuries.”
The film was produced by Delaware Valley Video of Lambertville.
Prior to the showing, about 90 guests attended a champagne reception at the Parry Mansion, across the street from the theater, where they mingled with the cast and crew.
Historical Society President Dee Dee Bowman welcomed the sell-out crowd, noting the enthusiasm the production had generated.
”We are absolutely thrilled that so many of you from our two river towns and beyond have come here tonight to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge,” said Ms. Bowman.
”Our committee, headed by Roy Ziegler, has worked hard over the past 18 months in conjunction with John Weber and Delaware Valley Video to put together the comprehensive history of our bridge that you are about to see,” she added.
New Hope Mayor Larry Keller and Lambertville Mayor David DelVecchio also welcomed the audience. “Our two towns are really one town joined by this historic bridge,” said Mayor Keller.
Mayor DelVecchio urged the crowd to buy the DVD of the documentary so friends and relatives could also enjoy the history that it portrays.
Mr. Ziegler, board member and past president of the New Hope Historical Society, acknowledged the generous cooperation of the Bucks County Playhouse Theater and Kevin and Sherry Daugherty for hosting the event.
”As much foresight as Benjamin Parry possessed,” said Mr. Ziegler, “he could never have imagined that two centuries after he headed the team that funded and supervised its construction, more than 400 people would gather in what used to be his flour mill to celebrate the bridge.”
Joseph Donnelly, deputy executive director of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, surprised the crowd by portraying three crucial characters necessary for the supervision and maintenance of the crossing’s structure.
Dressed in three outfits a bridge officer, a maintenance worker and a deputy executive director, Mr. Donnelly delighted the crowd with his entertaining and educational presentation.
”I’ve never seen such hoopla for a piece of public infrastructure,” he quipped.
Martha Capwell-Fox, director of the Archives for the National Canal Museum in Easton, Pennsylvania, introduced two films one by Roy Creveling and the other by W.W. Chambers, showing New Hope and the Delaware Canal in the 1920s and 1950s which the museum and the toll bridge commission had modified for the occasion. They presented a look back at life along the Delaware River in simpler times.
A short documentary on the life of Benjamin Parry, played by local actor and community activist Charlie Huchet, followed.
The bridge documentary brought the evening’s program into the 21st century by tracing the crossing’s importance in the area’s great history since 1814 despite the devastation of disastrous floods as recently as 2006.
It includes rarely seen images and film from numerous contributors including: Bob Heath Sr., Hugh Marshall, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, the Lambertville Historical Society and the New Hope Historical Society.
It was funded in part by the Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau, Brian C. Meadows, Esq., Ballard Spahr LLP, Andrew Prestipino and Wells Fargo Bank.
Copies of the DVD are available for $15 plus shipping costs from the New Hope Historical Society at newhopehs.org.

