The French King Bridge

Driving west along Route 2, I stopped at the French King Bridge mainly for the view. Below, the Connecticut River curved between wooded banks, with hills stretching into the distance. The setting was magnificent, but the bridge itself, with its substantial stone approaches and ornamental lamps, gave me another reason to pause.

Opened on September 10, 1932, the French King Bridge connects Erving and Gill across a steep Connecticut River gorge. Its construction was part of a project to replace a hazardous seven-mile section of the old Mohawk Trail highway between Erving and Greenfield. The earlier route passed through Millers Falls and Turners Falls, taking drivers along steep grades, sharp curves, narrow bridges, and railroad crossings. The new crossing provided a more direct route through this difficult landscape.

The gorge presented considerable engineering challenges. Its steep banks, rocky riverbed, uneven water depth, and swift current helped determine the bridge’s design. Engineers selected a three-span steel arch structure, erected using the cantilever method. The supporting steelwork lies beneath the roadway, leaving travelers an open view across the river valley.

Construction began in September 1931 and was completed a year later at a cost of approximately $385,000. The finished bridge earned national recognition when the American Institute of Steel Construction named it the most beautiful steel bridge in its class for 1932.

Its name comes from nearby French King Rock in the river. Local historical accounts associate the rock’s name with a French officer and a scouting party during the French and Indian wars, placing the name’s origins well before the highway crossing was built.

The bridge’s architectural details reward a closer look. Broad masonry end posts, balustrades, and tall decorative lamps give the approaches a formal character. Another plaque recognizes the view as a Massachusetts “Special Place”, acknowledging the landscape that first drew me to stop.

Learning its history added to my appreciation of that view. This crossing required engineers and builders to work with a demanding natural setting while creating something visually suited to it. The French King Bridge remains a place where the journey west offers an opportunity to stop, look, and discover the history beneath the road.