The informational brochure I picked up at the entrance to the legendary Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, when I first visited it in 1999, boasted that the bridge is “the only one of its kind in the world.” Since then, the attraction has inspired other bridges in bloom, including the Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge here in my home state – Connecticut. Still, in all my travels, I can’t say I’ve seen anything like this floral masterpiece that has been the centerpiece of Shelburne Falls since the bridge was abandoned by the streetcar line in 1928.
The bridge was originally built in 1908 to carry 400-foot lanes across the Deerfield River. When streetcar service ended in 1928, the concrete bridge was neglected and soon became an eyesore.
In 1929, the bridge was purchased by the Shelburne Falls Fire District as it carried water pipes across the river and, at the urging of city residents Walter Burnham and his wife, Antoinette, a campaign of fundraising to turn the bridge into a beautiful garden path – a flower bridge. A local businesswoman and member of the Women’s Club, Gertrude Newall, was named the bridge’s first “gardener”, a position she held for 30 years.
In 1983, the bridge underwent a massive half-million dollar renovation to ensure its continued longevity. All plants were removed from the bridge during renovations, and, in 1984, the bridge was reopened to the public, recently designed by Shelburne Falls horticulturist Carrolle Markle. The design still features Wisteria vines that the Bridge of Flowers Volunteer Committee members kept growing during reconstruction and returned to their original locations on the bridge.
Today, the Bridge of Flowers is maintained by a paid gardener and an assistant and volunteers from the Committee and the Women’s Club. More than 20,000 people stroll through its blooming expanse each year, and care is taken to ensure that from the time the tulips appear in April until the mothers mark the end of New England’s fall blooming season – something spectacular always is in bloom.
If you see an intriguing plant on your visit, look for a marker, as many of the rare and historic plantings are labeled.
This free attraction is open every day from April to October. While there is no charge to meander through the Bridge of Flowers, donations deposited in boxes located at each end of the bridge help fund the maintenance of this enduring landmark. Much of the annual operating budget comes from donations and commemorative gifts. Other fundraising efforts include a plant sale held each year in the spring and a membership organization, Friends of the Bridge, which offers benefits to supporters.
If you’re going… The Bridge of Flowers is off the Mohawk Trail (Massachusetts Route 2) in the center of the town of Shelburne Falls (see directions). Compare prices and reviews of hotels and inns in the Shelburne Falls area with TripAdvisor.
More travel ideas to England
Looking for more New England travel inspiration? Start with the New England Travel homepage, where you’ll find the latest New England travel stories and ideas season after season.
