Thursday, April 3, 2008

An Old-Fashioned Bridge in Manette

The Manette Bridge played a significant role in the building and expansion of Bremerton. Built during the Great Depression, the Manette Bridge is the oldest of two bridges that connect East Bremerton to West Bremerton.

In this photo, Manette is to the right, West Bremerton on the left side. The Port Washington Narrows goes north toward Silverdale. The Olympic Mountains are in the distance. (Much appreciation to Capt. Alan R. Beam, USN, ret., for the photo. Thanks, Dad!)
Prior to the building of the bridge, Mosquito Fleet ferries made the crossing each day to allow families from East Bremerton to go to their jobs in West Bremerton. If a laborer missed the last ferry, he would have to make an extremely long commute around the north end of the inlet, through Chico, Silverdale, and Tracyton.

Construction on the bridge began in October 1929, and continued until opening day in June of 1930. The bridge was originally a toll bridge, charging $.25 per car and $.05 a passenger. The toll continued until 1939.

Shortly after the toll was lifted, it became clear that the little two-lane bridge would not support the growing traffic burden, and talk of a second bridge began. This resulted in the building of the Port Washington Narrows Bridge, commonly known as the Wheaton Way Bridge, in 1958 as a toll bridge.

At that time, the toll was placed back on the Manete Bridge. Why pay the toll on the Wheaton Way Bridge if you could cross the Manette Bridge for free? The tolls were lifted in 1972 when both bridges were paid for.

Today, residents of the charming neighborhood of Manette use the bridge to cross to West Bremerton, Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton, and the Washington State Ferry Terminal to commute to Seattle. Unfortunately, the charming Manette Bridge is currently considered unsafe. The bridge is scheduled for demolition when a new bridge is constructed, beginning in 2010.

For more information on the neighborhood of Manette, including a list of homes for sale in Manette, Bremerton, stop by Realty Station. Or visit our website for more on Bremerton and Kitsap County real estate.

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