The end of the abandoned Seekonk river drawbridge

The Seekonk river drawbridge was built in around 1908, at the same time as the East Side Railway tunnel, to connect East Side and Downtown Providence with East Providence.

It has long since been abandoned and left in the up position. Today, it is accessible by two wooded trails. One behind east side market, and another behind the baseball fields at the end of Power St. To get to the end of the bridge you must tiptoe across rotting and fire damaged railway ties, then duck under a massive steel wall. Once you get on the other side of the wall, you are surrounded by massive steel and wood bridge structure, and while still outside and partly visible, a feeling of comfort and privacy washes over. The 'room' has been decorated on every surface with graffiti, distress, and objects placed or forgotten. Evidence of people, long ago and very recent, is present and you feel like you're in on a great secret, part of an exclusive club.

My friends and I first went to the bridge when we were in the summer transfer program. We had heard about it from some friends and had seen it sticking above the trees near East Side Market. Our first time exploring the bridge we were very paranoid. Knowing that there was only one exit off of the place we were trespassing on and vandalizing was a little disheartening. We started to frequent the bridge and become more comfortable, leaving our marks via aerosol paint. Like any intimate space, after altering it in some way (destructive or productive), you make it yours by putting a piece of yourself into it. Each time we would come back our marks would be completely gone or partially covered which made the bridge feel like it was alive, constantly transforming.

While we rarely see anyone at the bridge, you can sense a community because, in a way, you are primitively communicating with other people by making marks. For my friends and I, going to the bridge is an adventure. It brings back memories of making secret forts, with friends in the woods, when I was a kid. Knowing that we are going to place that most people don't visit or know about is exciting. Usually we go late at night, to watch the sun rise or add to the conversations on the steel and wood surfaces.