North view of the lift bridge

Canal bridges in the Chesapeake City area – circa 1907 – 1949: North View of Lift Bridge

This is a 1941 north view of the lift bridge. The small house there just left of the bridge was where the operators stayed to raise and lower the span. At far left is the Rio Theater and above the car is the front of Jumping Jim’s barber shop. At right is the sign for Shine Crawford’s Gulf station. I remember being here with my father in his ’41 Ford and waiting there by Jumping Jim’s for the span to lower so we could cross on our way to Elkton. My dad said: “Well, boy, you see those huge weights? When they start going up that’ll bring the road-way down, and when they reach the top we’ll be able to cross.”