The Skagit River Crossing
By Curt Cunningham

The Skagit river begins its journey in British Columbia and flows for 150 miles before reaching Puget Sound in Skagit county. In 1978, Congress established the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System. The system includes 150 miles of the Skagit river and its tributaries; the Sauk, Suiattle, and Cascade rivers. This Wild and Scenic designation is meant to protect the river and the wildlife that surrounds it.

The Skagit river rises in the Cascade mountains in British Columbia, and flows in a southwesterly direction and empties into Puget Sound. It has a drainage area of approximately 3,084 square miles and is tidal for about 17 miles above its mouth. Above its mouth 8 miles the Skagit separates into two principal channels called the North and South Forks; the former discharging at the northern extremity of Utsalady Bay, the latter entering the bay through three channels, known respectively as the Main River channel, Steamboat slough, and Freshwater slough, which in 1881 were all navigable to vessels drawing 4 feet at low-water. It was not approachable at low-tide, because to the outlying flats, half a mile wide, which only have a depth of 18 inches.

On December 13, 1877 the Seattle Daily Intelligencer printed an article about the Skagit river. The article reads in part; "There has been much speculation and many theories regarding the source of the Skagit river, but little information has been obtained otherwise than from the Indians. The head of the Skagit river was termed by them a mystic well, from the fact that no person or party ever ventured beyond the head of canoe navigation, as such a venture required some little courage and determination, and that supported by physical strength and experience in mountaineering."

The Riverside Crossing

Before the Skagit river was bridged there were 11 ferries which were used to cross the river. Some of the known locations of these ferries were at; Skagit City, west Mount Vernon, between Mount Vernon and Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, Gilligan creek, Lyman and Rockport. The Riverside ferry was the name used for the ferry between Mount Vernon and Burlington. The place was known as the Riverside Crossing. The Pacific Highway runs in a direct north-south direction between these towns and the crossing of the river is about halfway between them.

On May 8, 1899 the Skagit county surveyor had been at work laying out a route for a new county road from the north end of the Riverside ferry to the town of Burlington. This road was called the Olympia Marsh Road and the Riverside Road. Later it was known as the Burlington Road and it became a part of the Pacific Highway in 1913. It was said that when this section of the highway was finished it would enable the people of Burlington to get out of town without unnecessary delay.

The Riverside Bridge

On December 7, 1911 Skagit county was preparing to construct a bridge across the Skagit river at the Riverside Crossing. The county called for bids for the new Riverside bridge on January 17, 1912. The county had already paid to the state their share of the cost of the bridge. This bridge was to complete a link in the Pacific Highway between Mount Vernon and Burlington and was to be a great convenience to the traveling public and the people of Skagit county.

On January 24, 1912 the bidding had ended and 11 companies had submitted bids for the construction of the sub-structure. The bids submitted ranged from $51,768.80 on the high end to $29,494 on the low end. D. M. Stevenson submitted the low bid and was awarded the contract. Stevenson's estimate was well below the engineer's estimate. All of the obstacles had been cleared and work was to commence immediately. It was estimated that the bridge might be completed by the end of summer or early fall of 1912.

On February 1, 1912 the contractor had a crew of 50 rushing the work of the sub-structure of the Riverside bridge and material was arriving rapidly over the Interurban line from Mount Vernon. Tom McNeal was appointed supervising engineer and was to be on the job until its completion. During this time there a movement on foot to have the Riverside Road from Mount Vernon to the Riverside bridge concrete paved.

On April 11, 1912 a petition was submitted for the removal of the Riverside ferry after the completion of the Riverside bridge to a point near the mouth of the Nookachamps river which is about 3 miles upstream from the Riverside crossing.

On February 20, 1913 after a long suspension of work on the Riverside bridge work was resumed. J. L. Gavin, superintendent for Gerrick and Gerrick of Seattle, was in Mount Vernon with a crew of workers who were busy placing the steel for the superstructure. County Commissioner Polson was having the Riverside Road graveled which gave Riverside a lively appearance. The Gerrick and Gerrick company had also constructed the Great Northern and Interurban bridges over the Skagit river at Riverside.

On March 14, 1913 House Bill #362 was approved by the Legislature for the re-appropriation of $37,754.46 for the completion of the Riverside bridge. The sub-structure consisted of six concrete piers supported on piling, and about 200 feet of pile trestle. The super-structure consisted of one steel draw span 245 feet in length, two steel spans 160 feet in length and one steel span 150 feet in length.

On May 13, 1913 Charles Wilde was appointed bridge tender for the Riverside bridge at a salary of $70 per month.

The Dedication

On June 26, 1913 the Riverside bridge was opened to traffic. About 10,000 people attended the dedication ceremony. One notable feature of the celebration was the vast number of people who came from the country districts and from other counties and cities in the region. The automobile procession stretched from the bridge to Burlington, a distance of nearly three miles, and there were many pedestrians. and dozens who rode in on horses. The Mount Vernon band was at one end of the bridge and the Burlington band at the other.

They discoursed sweet music and added to the enjoyment of the occasion. Representative Will Conner presided as chairman, and proved his reputation as a "Silver Tongued Orator," that his admirers had given him. Conner was from Avon and said they chose him because he did not live in Burlington or Mount Vernon so there would be no loss of face by either town. He then said; "the committee went way out to my farm at Avon and got me to come up here and humiliate myself before this large audience."

Conner then said that; "credit was due to the county commissioners and to J. O. Rodene former representative for the construction of this magnificent structure, and that the greatest credit was due to the efforts of Will A. McKenna of Mount Vernon." Conner then welcomed the Governor and his executive party plus the members of the highway commission. Afterwards a chorus of young girls under the direction of Mrs. W. L. Brickley sang a song entitled; While We Were Building Our Highway.

Attorney M. P. Hurd of Mount Vernon then told how the idea of this new bridge was first conceived and the political machinery that resulted in the completion of this fine thoroughfare, started in motion; "Two years ago last January, one cold winter day, ex-Commissioner William Thomas of Sedro-Woolley called me up by telephone and asked to meet me in my office. When he came down, he broached the subject of this bridge to me. I called in E. W. Ferris, now state fire warden, and later we got hold of Thomas Smith."

"All day long we figured just how we could bring this improvement about. The next day we got hold of our Skagit county delegation in Olympia, and together we formulated the idea of obtaining help from the state for the furtherance of our desire. We are indebted greatly to the legislators William McKenna, J. O. Rodene, Hammer and William Conner. Praise was also due to ex-Governor Hay and the former highway commissioner." Hurd then expressed thanks to the commercial bodies of Mount Vernon and Governor Lister who then addressed the audience.

The governor spoke briefly and his remarks were received with pleasure. He then said; "You might put four times this number of people in Skagit county, and build a high fence about it, and for years to come they could live upon the county's resources." Governor Lister said he hoped and believed that within the next 10 years the ranchers of this community would continue to prosper to such an extent as to make necessary the construction of several bridges across the Skagit for the purpose of conveying the farm produce to the markets.

At the conclusion of the program Florence Lister, wife of the governor broke a bottle of Skagit river water on the draw of the new bridge, and a long line of automobiles began their slow procession over the bridge driving to Burlington, and then back to Mount Vernon.

Riverside Road Paving

On August 14, 1916 County Engineer Strong made the announcement that the laying of concrete on the Pacific Highway on the Riverside section between the Mount Vernon city limits and the Riverside bridge was finished. The barricades were taken down the day before the opening of the Skagit county fair, for public travel. This piece of paving formed the second installment of hard surface pavement laid down on the Pacific Highway in Skagit county, the first having been put down along the west limits of Burlington.

If the movement for a pavement on North Fourth Street carries there will be a continuous hard surface from the south end of Third street to the Riverside bridge, a distance of nearly two miles. All that remains to be done to complete the contract of the Skagit Construction company was the building of a six-foot shoulder the full length on each side so there would be no abrupt break on the sides of the concrete. The bridge also some improvement work done. The approaches were planked with 2x4s on edge.

If there was money enough these would be given a coat of tar and sand and fine gravel. The railing at the bridge had been painted white, which added much to the beauty of the structure. At the railroad crossing the approaches had been leveled to a distance of 50 feet on either side and wire mesh was used between the tracks to overcome vibration.

On October 5, 1916 the newly paved Pacific Highway from the Mount Vernon city limits to the Riverside bridge was opened for traffic Saturday October 7th. It once again gave the traveling public the advantage of a straight route through the Riverside bridge between Burlington and Mount Vernon. The stretch repaired was about a mile long, but the job took longer than they had anticipated as the approaches to the bridge had also been re-surfaced and the bridge was painted. During the construction travel between Mount Vernon and Burlington went over the Avon route.

In 1918 the Riverside Road was concrete paved from the Riverside bridge to the south city limits of Burlington and for 3 miles extending north from the north city limits. In 1921 the one half mile stretch of highway within the city of Burlington was paved.

Frogs Take Over the Riverside Bridge

On August 23, 1917 considerable excitement was being experienced among the residents of North First Street in Mount Vernon at an unusual and unwelcome invasion of their premises and thoroughfares by an army of thousands of small, black frogs. So thick were these crawling creatures that it was impossible for automobile traffic to pass along the streets without crushing dozens of them. To those who had resided in Kansas, this army of frogs reminded them of the grasshopper swarms which often visited that country.

It was believed that the hot weather of the last few weeks was responsible for this army of invaders migrating, as many of the ponds and small creeks adjacent were completely dried up. Just how they collected themselves in one immense drove was a puzzling question. All day Sunday and Monday, these small toads hopped gleefully along, headed north. The Riverside bridge was so completely covered with them that it resembled a wavering gray canopy. Altogether it was a most unusual sight and many were traveling to the north end of town to see the spectacle.

The Riverside Bridge is Replaced

By the mid 1930's the old Riverside bridge was showing it age and a new bridge was planned to replaced it. On March 18, 1936 Governor Clarence D. Martin dedicated the new $500,000 Riverside bridge. This new bridge served the public for the next 67 years when it was replaced by the current bridge over the Skagit river at Riverside in 2003.