NARROWSBURG, NY — Upper Delaware River community members gathered January 12 at the Narrowsburg Union to celebrate the Skinners Falls Bridge, aka the Milanville Bridge. The gathering was motivated by a recent directive by PennDOT, approved by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, that the bridge be brought down with explosives, which overrules an initial plan that called for a deconstruction and proper indexing of components so the structure could eventually be rehabilitated and rebuilt.

Shapiro and other government officials were invited to attend the gathering, but were not present in the crowd of nearly 100 concerned citizens who witnessed touching and inspirational performances from poets, musicians, artists, actors and speakers influenced by their personal perceptual feelings of what the bridge means. At the conclusion of the event there was a potluck supper.

Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (DCS), a nonprofit that has led the charge of advocacy in support of the bridge, was represented by director Barbara Arrindell, who told the audience that hope was not lost and that their organization had tools and resources to continue petitioning for saving the bridge. 

They have filed a “very powerful comment” with PennDOT, Arrindell said, that says that PennDOT’s contractor’s documents do not substantiate any movement of the bridge abutment on the New York side of the bridge for two or three years. This “movement” was the compelling argument for PennDOT’s edict to demolish the bridge as an emergency measure. 

DCS’s desire is to see the bridge restored to its original capacity and purpose. For those looking to financially support the efforts of the DCS, they  are accepting donations—as Arrindell said, “Lawyers cost money!”

The inspiration of this historic bridge to musicians, poets, artists and thespians, and the influence it has on the community, demonstrate that its value warrants its restoration for future generations. The value of this “bridge to the past,” as several performers termed it, transcends that of any concrete bridge that could replace it.

Performers and performances included: Poison Love Band; poetry readings by Eric Baylin, Sheila Dugan and Tracy Gass Ranze; Lucas Maharaja Rotman, singer-songwriter; Tannis Kowalchuk and Farm Arts Collective performing the skit “Skinner’s Bridge is Falling Down,” done to the tune of “London Bridge”; River Reporter publisher Laurie Stuart leading an audience chant “For the Water”; and Kathy Geary leading the audience in an “America the Beautiful” sing-along.

A door prize of a hand-crafted wooden flag made by Jeff Dexter and adorned with an image of the Milanville Bridge was awarded to a lucky attendee.

A bridge to the past

The bridge, a one-lane steel truss construction, has been an icon spanning the river since 1902. It replaced a heavy ferry crossing between Milanville, PA and Skinners Falls, NY that had served the Erie Railroad. 

In 1988, Mary Curtis of Curtis Nurseries in Callicoon, NY, while working for the National Park Service (NPS) was instrumental in getting 14 structures in Milanville, including the Milanville Bridge, added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The bridge was built by the Milanville Bridge Company and was originally known as the Milanville Bridge. That name morphed over the years to reflect the name of the Skinner family who operated the original ferry crossing. 

Skinners Falls is arguably one of the most beautiful landmarks on the Delaware River, where the river flows over a rocky ledge for approximately a quarter mile as the topography loses elevation, creating a class 1  to class 2 rapids depending on river flow.

A PennDOT virtual public meeting held on December 17, 2024 was recorded and posted online by consulting firm AECOM outlining the process that led to the failed inspection as well as the determination that the bridge should be demolished. In that presentation, it is pointed out that there are 11 anticipated approvals/clearances needed to carry out the demolition. Among them is one from the National Park Service (NPS).

In 1978, Congress designated the Upper Delaware River corridor as the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and a unit of the National Park System, to preserve its “outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural... and other similar resource values...” The NPS, in coordination with state and federal agencies and local municipalities, is responsible for management of the corridor.

Former contributing River Reporter editor Tom Rue made a presentation at the bridge’s celebration titled “Tribute and memories of Ed Wesely,” a prominent local preservationist and environmentalist whose home was located along the river downstream from the bridge. [A copy can be read online www.riverreporter.com/stories/tribute-and-memories-of-ed-wesley,180115?.]

Rue mentioned that before his passing, Wesely was interviewed by Rosie Starr of WJFF Radio’s Farm & Country segment about the historical significance of Milanville and the bridge. Toward the end of the interview Rosie asked Wesely, “If you think that people want to get involved with preserving this bridge, what would you recommend?” Wesely replied, “I would recommend they support the National Park Service.”

Wesely continued, “The  local park service staff decided that the Milanville bridge is worth preserving. That is very important I guess, in a category they call outstandingly remarkable, or whatever you will. So now if PennDOT wants a permit from the Army  Corps of Engineers or from the Federal Highway Administration to demolish this bridge and build another one, that has to be approved by the park service. The position of the park service right now is this bridge has such outstanding qualities historically and scenically that it must be preserved. If you value the bridge, support the park service.” The entire 15 minute audio clip is posted on the Damascus Citizens for Sustainability website, www.damascuscitizensforsustainability.org

[Editor’s note: Multiple current and former members of the River Reporter participated in this bipartisan celebration of the bridge, including publisher Laurie Stuart, contributing writer Cynthia Nash and former contributing editor Tom Rue. The participation of these individuals does not reflect a stance or opinion of the River Reporter. The River Reporter is committed to impartial and unbiased coverage of local news.]