Quote:
Originally Posted by 2ndamendment
When the old 171 wooden bridge was in service(where the boat launch is now), as you crossed the bridge heading North, there was a ice cream stand on the corner. There are metal buildings(businesses) there now.
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That was the Old Town Road Bridge. Wow, I almost forgot about that one. It was a wooden bridge that was very narrow. 2 cars could cross it each direction but if an 18 wheeler came across it he had it by himself. Fool, we were both right on the Ferry's that crossed. I called my brother and asked him about it. He said there use to be one that went from Smith Ferry Rd in Westlake to Perkins Ferry back in the late 40's thru the late 50's. The road was bad on both sides so they decided to close the one that had gone back and forth and made a better pass at Hwy 378. That was toward the end of the 50's or early 60's. The new ferry was just north of the current bridge about 70 yards. I do remember that it did not use a conventional motor and prop to go back and forth but 2 cables that was used to pull the ferry back and forth. If a boat needed to cross the ferry's path the ferry had to release the tention
on the cable and it would drop the cable to the bottom of the river, once the boat passed the ferry pulled tention back on the cable and would pull itself across again.
Adam, I remember the sign very well. I'll discuss more of the sign when we ever meet. There use to be one on the Moss Bluff side of the new Bridge also when it was put in back in the late 60's or early 70's when ever it was put in.
2ndAmendment, As you probley have figured out I was raised in Westlake. I worked at Olin Chemical till 84. They had a big lay off as did most of the plants. With no work in the area I worked here and there and finally decided to join the Navy. I got very lucky and was accepted into the Bio- Medical repair school. After the Navy I went to work for the VA. 20 years later I'm writing a book on Salty Cajun. lol Lots of cool memories...
