With the bridge replacement project on Mountain Road underway, this early 20^th century photograph of the bridge shows a rustic-style guard rail bordering the road and sidewalk crossing Norfolk Brook.  Characterized by the use of twigs, branches, and bark, the rustic style had been used in formal English gardens in the 1700’s and in this country was very popular in the second half of the 19^th century, especially in the Adirondacks. In Norfolk, rustic twig chairs, benches, gazebos, and fences dotted the landscape. Note that Mountain Road was unpaved at this time. It was not until 1902 that the first section of macadamized road was installed in Norfolk along the Village Green. Harry S. Stevens, Secretary of the Village Improvement Society, had successfully advocated for paving the roads, writing in the society’s 1901 annual report, “One mile of good road would be an object lesson of real value and if added to regularly would soon give us satisfactory road.”

-Text by Ann Havemeyer
–Photo courtesy of The Norfolk Historical Society