The Only Bridge Connecting Deer Isle To Mainland Maine Has A Fascinating History
By Michelle|Published October 27, 2020
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Michelle
Author
Michelle's life is a colorful map of exploration and adventure. From the iconic streets of New York to the sunny shores of Florida, the jagged coast of Maine to the rugged terrain of Montana, she's been fortunate to call some of America's most beautiful states home. Beyond the U.S., Michelle's wanderlust has taken her on a motorcycle journey through India, led her to teach English in Hanoi, and saw her studying Spanish in Guatemala. Michelle graduated with a communications degree from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and in addition to a career in advertising has worked with OnlyInYourState since 2016, where her love for travel and storytelling converges. Alongside writing and exploring, Michelle finds joy in photography, staying active, and time with her family.
For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com.
With more than 4,500 islands off the coast of Maine, the issue of accessibility is not especially foreign. While many of the islands are uninhabited, others are far enough away that a ferry or other means of water transportation is the only link between island life and the mainland. Deer Isle has a bridge, but that wasn’t always the case. This is the story of that bridge!
Tiny Deer Isle, located off the coast of Maine in Hancock County, has a population of just under 2,000. A smaller community, this is also one of the most beautiful places in the state.
For the last 80-ish years, it's been connected to the mainland by what is officially known as the Deer Isle–Sedgwick Bridge. Prior to the construction of the bridge in 1939, residents and visitors relied on a ferry system to link them with the mainland.
The bridge certainly changes accessibility. Before it was built most supplies were brought via boat from Rockland. Goods and people could also travel using a ferry that was operated for generations by a local island family. But the bridge brought new possibilities and for some, totally new lives.
The bridge is so large, in part, because the area is such a haven for boating. The height in the middle is about 85-feet and the roadway carrying State Route 15 is about 98-feet above the water.
But the depth of the water meant the approach on either side needed to be minimal, which is why today drives will feel a steep 6.5% grade approach and a short 400-foot curve at the center of the bridge.
But that's not all that was complicated. The bridge needed to be ready for use in early summer, which meant the bulk of the work needed to be done during the winter. To make this happen, the designers Holton Duncan Robinson and David Bernard Steinman, made sure that many of the components were pre-fabricated and then assembled on-site quite quickly.
And, it's worth checking out even if you're not planning on spending a lot of time on the other side.
What are some of your favorite islands in Maine? Do you prefer those that are more remote or the ones that, like Deer Isle, can be accessed a bit more easily? Let us know!
