In the mid 1800’s, the prospect of having a railroad run from Portland through Gorham Village spurred a real estate boom. The York and Cumberland Railroad opened the track as far as Gorham in 1851. Later the track was continued, eventually reaching manufacturing mills on the Salmon Falls River in South Berwick and Rollingsford, New Hampshire.

Building a bridge over South Street, with the train tracks passing underneath, was a necessary part of the construction. The railroad bridge, located just beyond the South Street cemetery, was constructed of wide wooden planks. It had dark green side-rails and was supported on very large granite slabs.

The bridge arching over the tracks rattled very loudly whenever wagons and later cars traveled over it. If you lived near the railroad tracks, you could set your clock by the arrival of the four o’clock train. Dishes sitting on shelves or other moveable items took on a life of their own for a few minutes as the train had passed by.

During the years the train ran, kids, especially young boys, used to grab on and ride the train. Some, with their golf bags slung over their shoulder, would get off in Westbrook, play some golf, and then return home via the train with the conductor’s approval.

By the 1960’s train service to Gorham was long gone. A local witness recalls standing on the bridge watching the rails being removed, marking the end of an era. An engine with two flatcars moved along as men took up the rails behind them. In 1964, the bridge was demolished by Dewayne Shaw who owned the right of way along the old rail bed in that area. He repaired the road and built a house on site.

But if you lived in Gorham prior to 1964, the iconic South Street wooden railroad bridge must forever be etched in your mind. Many local residents have shared great stories which are true but may be subject to some exaggeration.

It was a rite of passage for high school boys who had just obtained their driver’s license to gun their car, racing down South Street and over the arched bridge to see how high off the ground the car would fly. This might also have been done by a dad or two at the begging of a child or by a young boy showing off for his girl. Many will recall the tummy tickle, especially if you were in the back seat of the car or better yet, of the school bus.

In the 1950’s, Nina Bailey, the high school music director, asked some of the young boys to take the high school auditorium piano and deliver it to the gymnasium (Robie Gym) in the center of town. It is likely that truck might have been going slightly too fast. The piano slid off the back of the truck as it crossed the bridge and never made it to its destination.

A local boy took a liking to a pretty new girl in town and was eager to show his interest. He spotted her and her mother driving home from the Village so he hopped on his bike and rode briskly to keep up with their automobile. The boy tumbled off his bike when a cat ran across his path in the middle of the bridge. Sadly, the cat did not survive the crash.

Then there were fish stories. Kids liked to fish up and down the brook that ran next to the track. Many bragged of the trout they caught. They could stretch the length of the fish in their imaginations, but it is unlikely that many caught ever ended up on the dinner plate. Without sharing any names, under the bridge was also a spot for young boys to end a quarrel with a fist fight or to hangout for cigarette smoking.

One of the most touching bridge stories is about a man and his dog. In the later days of delivery, a train mail clerk rode the train every day with his dog. Upon the clerk’s retirement, the dog came to Gorham and lived on South Street. Every day when the whistle blew, the dog raced to the overhead bridge and the engineer blew one short blast of the whistle in greeting.

Wilma Gould Johnson (GHS ’62), born and raised in Gorham. She enjoys sharing Gorham history with others. Any one with a question or more information may contact her at iamwilma@comcast.net.