Powder Point Bridge

On the South Shore of Boston, there are many peninsulas, bays and inlets from Cohasett to Scituate, Marshfield and Duxbury, and then on down to Plymouth where the largest opening is found, the Cape Cod Canal.   So numerous are they that these jagged and beautiful shorelines provide endless scenic waterviews to paint.  



Aerial View of Powder Point Bridge, Duxbury, MA

The satellite view on the left shows a long stretch of land that forms Duxbury Beach Reservation,  a natural barrier for both Duxbury Harbor and the northern rim of Plymouth Harbor.   This is the stretch of beach where I walk each day.   Walking or biking is one thing, driving is another.   To my knowledge, there are only two over land ways to drive to Duxbury Beach.  One way is via Canal Street in Marshfield to Gurnet Road, Duxbury (4WD vehicles recommended).  The other route is by crossing the Powder Point Bridge at the terminus of St. George Street, Duxbury. 

The focus of this post and center of interest in this post's painting is the Powder Point Bridge.  The bridge is a marvel,  a true treasure from the past.   The bridge is in fact the longest wooden bridge in the United States at 2,200 feet.  When the original bridge was built in 1892 it subtracted seven hours of travel from the trip from Duxbury Center to the Gurnet which is at the furthest tip of Duxbury Beach.  Despite this benefit, when the first bridge was erected, there were worries about a building boom and plans for too much beach development.  That did not come to pass and conservation efforts have thwarted any development plans for Duxbury Beach. 

As for the bridge, over the years, there have been fires and repairs.    In 1987, a "newer" bridge was built using the same structural design as the original, but made from an exotic wood called basralocus from Suriname (a country in northern South America)  and bongassi wood from West Africa.    It was discovered last winter that the wooden supports of the current Powder Point Bridge have deteriorated beyond expectations and the bridge was closed for repairs just recently (October 25, 2012).

This painting was done upon request for a summer visitor to the area who recognized how amazing the Powder Point Bridge is.   Just prior to its closing, I visited the bridge, started this painting and got a few reference photos.   The view chosen was from the northerly "mainland" side of Powder Point Bridge at low tide (from just about where the "A" pointer is in the aerial photograph above).  Blue skies and puffy afternoon clouds are the backdrop.

Powder Point Bridge

The sandy neck of the beach at the base of the bridge had a curved pattern of multiple tide lines and wild sea grasses which contrasted with the straight rigid lines of the wooden structure.  I liked this view of the bridge best and it gives a good sense of just how long it is for a small town bridge.  The color temperature scheme was influenced by the cool blue skies.  The shadows of the bridge and grasses had a reddish tone.

Hopefully when next they return to the area, it will be repaired and open for crossing!