They haven’t been taken!
Two large bronze historical plaques have been removed from their respective granite monument stones at the Centre Bridge-Stockton toll-supported bridge.
But there is no cause for alarm. The recent disappearance of the two plaques has nothing to do with theft, vandalism or a David Copperfield magic trick. They simply have been removed and sent to a nearby company that specializes in metal restoration and sculpture conservation.
The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission initiated the plaque restoration effort as one way to commemorate the Centre Bridge-Stockton crossing’s 200th anniversary year. The two plaques are identical and tell the bridge crossing’s historical account, starting with the series of ferry services that originally operated at the location and then the subsequent construction of the first privately owned wooden toll bridge that opened there sometime during the first half of 1814.
(The specific opening date of the original wooden bridge remains undetermined. The mystery is compounded by conflicting published accounts and vague unattributed representations in the public record including the account on the aforementioned historical markers at the current bridge. If anyone can shed authoritative light on this quandary, the Bridge Commission would appreciate being contacted.)
The plaques also describe the lightning-ignited fire that destroyed the covered wooden bridge on July 22, 1923, and how the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey later provided equal funding shares for the joint purchase of the former bridge’s remaining charred piers.
With state financing, a new non-toll bridge the current steel truss structure that stands today was constructed and opened July 16, 1927 by the former Joint Commission for Elimination of Toll Bridges Pennsylvania-New Jersey the predecessor agency to the current Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
The historical plaques were installed in vicinity of the bridge’s approaches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania shortly after the structure was opened to traffic on July 16, 1927. It would appear that they have not undergone any sort of thorough professional restoration since first being installed more than 80 years ago.
The restoration work is being performed by Moorland Studios, Inc. in Stockton. The firm has performed prior work for the commission, including restoration of the historic plaques at the Lower Trenton (“Trenton Makes”) Toll-Supported Bridge between Trenton and Morrisville the oldest bridge crossing along the entire length of the Delaware River.
The restoration work is expected to be completed in several months. The commission has yet to set a target date for reinstallation of the two plaques.
For more info, see: www.drjtbc.org.