Blue-collar workers crossed there. Families went crab-walking around it. The teens celebrated getting their new driver's licenses by crossing there. And couples were known to get engaged nearby.
Completed in 1977, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was the last practical link to the Beltway around the Port of Baltimore and a much-needed solution to relieve congestion in the Harbor Tunnel. But for many, it was much more than that.
For some it symbolized the surrounding working class community, for others the city itself. The bridge also served as a reminder of a famous chapter in history. This bridge, near Fort McHenry, is believed by historians to be within 100 yards of where Key was captured by British troops during the War of 1812. At this time, he witnessed the siege of Key. He visited the fort in September 1814 and wrote a poem that became the national anthem. (A star-studded buoy commemorates the location.)
And the key bridge simply existed in people's everyday life. Since last week's collapse, residents have voiced everything from deep sadness for the six workers who died, to concern for immigrant communities affected by the port closure, to a sense of emptiness that has left their lives paling. We have dealt with losses at a high level. memory.
Below are some excerpts from comments from people in Baltimore, edited for clarity.
Maker
Dr. Panagis Galiasatos, a physician who grew up on Baltimore's East Side
“Unfortunately, there aren't many things that unite this city, but this is one of them. Everyone in Baltimore felt that bridge fall. That's our London Bridge. That's us. The Golden Gate Bridge. It felt like a friend was always greeting me in the morning.
The bridge was one of the first real jobs available to many immigrants in Baltimore City. My father, who worked as a bridge painter, said that if you were an able-bodied immigrant who could do any level of construction or painting, you were probably working on that bridge.
Locals have told me that before the bridge was built, it sometimes took hours to get to the right place to work because they had to take back roads. The bridge was a lifeline to school and work. That's the focus of my mind. These everyday people living there have just lost their lifeline connections to larger resources such as supermarkets, schools, and workplaces.
Not to sound cheesy, but it was a bridge to the American Dream. And the first and last hands to touch that bridge were the immigrants who came here in search of it. ”
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Terry Turbin, pastor of Sonshine Fellowship Church in Dundalk and a former carpenter who worked on bridge foundations.
“I'm proud to say I was involved in its construction. I look forward to working on it as soon as it's ready to rebuild. In February 1975, I embarked on a barge. Married. After I found out that a bridge was being built, I wanted to get a job and make more money.The bridge work cost $8.10 an hour.The first day I went out, I actually I asked myself, “Oh my god, what's going on?'' It was dangerous work. We were driving in stakes and it was quite windy at this time of year. I had to be very careful. The other part was always looking up to make sure nothing was falling down. It was really stressful. When you reached dry land, you said a prayer of thanksgiving. I have driven over this bridge over a thousand times and always told my family, “This is where I worked and I was right under it.” It was an emotional connection for me. ”
what is unknown
Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, a nonprofit organization serving immigrants in Baltimore.
“To me, Key Bridge was just a crossroads. Its greatness seemed, well, average. Its death made it even greater, revealing its secret life as a gathering place for workers.” The workers, born in areas from south Baltimore to central Honduras, shared company while working to keep me safe long after I went to sleep. It was a heroic place where workers worked hard in the cold and throughout the pandemic to make things easier. Workers who are fathers, brothers, sisters, and mothers. Neighbors and co-workers. , Labor, friends of the Church. Labor is the best in America in its commitment to all of us.”
Congressman Kweisi Mfume represents Baltimore as part of Maryland's 7th Congressional District.
“I was a freshman in college when they started building.” [the bridge]. I was worried about the bridge going up because it would have been faster to get to the other side of the harbor, but it was a beautiful bridge and it became something of an architectural cathedral in that community. You felt very comfortable looking at it because its solidity suggested that everything was fine elsewhere.
On the economic side, there is a real sense of urgency because this bridge impacts so many supply line issues across the country. This is a cascading ripple effect that will expand the economy in the wrong way at the moment. Many small and medium-sized enterprises have been affected, especially those dealing with imports and exports. ”
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John Olszewski, aka Johnny O, Baltimore County Executive
“I feel it in a very personal way, and in a very painful way, as do the people who live here. We feel it in a very personal way, and in a very painful way. They are still deeply shocked and reeling from the loss, and not just those who worked on the bridge are in disbelief about what their future holds. So do our neighbors, who are anxious dockworkers.
That's a small memory. When I was in high school, that's what I did when I got my driver's license, so I drove around the beltway and crossed the bridge, and I went fishing at night in the straits. At the foot of the bridge there, I was doing a little crab hunting for fun. I have all these incredible memories, but then everything you ever knew comes to a screeching halt…” [His voice trailed off and he shook his head.]
Homely atmosphere
Michelle Dobbs, animal health sales representative, lives in the Sparrows Point area and crosses the bridge twice a day.
“When you cross the Key Bridge, your blood pressure immediately drops and you feel like the day is over. It was a symbol of coming home. From the top of the bridge, you get a beautiful view of the Baltimore skyline. We saw sailing ships and cruise ships coming and going. Once, we were lucky enough to see the Pride of Baltimore. [a tall ship] Coming in. It never got old. It was just part of my daily life. You never know when the situation will stop being so unpleasant. It's incredible to have such an emotional attachment to a bridge. ”
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Joey Harcum, a musician from Pasadena, a suburb south of the Patapsco River Bridge.
“This is absolutely important for northern Anne Arundel County. That's how you get to Dundalk, that's how you get to Fells Point. We're seeing debris washing up on the shore right now because it's so close to home. I grew up right next to the river. We would take out our little boat and sneak out to Fort Carroll just to explore. Whenever people would come from out of town, I would take them to the bridge. I drove them around and showed them around all the forts. I named my first band Pasadena. Our first album had pictures of Key Bridge, chimneys, bridges, and there It showed us where we came from. It was just part of our identity for people living south of the city.”
come together
Shannon McLucas, Fort McHenry ranger, national monument about four miles from the bridge.
“Many patrons and locals were walking along the sea wall in the morning. Joggers, dog walkers, parents with babies, etc. come for a walk every morning. They. had the same emotional reaction I had when I saw this dramatically changed landscape. It was so busy, but so eerily quiet. To me, that's amazing. I They have a moment of shared humanity. From the park, you can see the wreckage, but you can also see the Coast Guard at work. They talk about the Battle of Baltimore in 1814. People from all walks of life came together from all over the world and came together. 210 years later, this was an accident, but it's one of those moments where we know we have a common community.”
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Laura Lipman, author
“All I can say is I'm sad and I know others are sad too. I love my hometown very much. My family moved here in 1965. We remember the riots after MLK's assassination, we remember the murder spike in the '80s, we remember Freddie Gray, it's a city that was forever destroyed and then rises again. .
I went to the Orioles' opening game and arrived in time for the memorial service for those who died on the bridge. I was deeply moved. As you may know, Baltimoreans scream “Oh!” I believe that the national anthem at the end is not only for the Orioles, but also for the city. I never screamed “Oh!” Just as loudly as I did on Thursday. ”
Miriam Jordan Contributed to the report.