In the early 90’s I was living In Wormleysburg, In an apartment that was so small, If you put a key in the door, you’d break a window. It was a time in my life where I actually tried to spend most of my time at other people’s houses. I wasn’t making enough money to afford luxuries like heat. I also lacked the worldly skills to manage things like electricity, groceries, cable etc.

Across the street from me, was the gateway to every reason in the world to live there. I could walk across the Walnut Street bridge to City Island, and I could enjoy the best part of Harrisburg any time I wanted. I could walk into the city and see any of the night life I wanted to take in. It was so easy, and convenient. I loved the fact that on western span of the bridge there were still traffic signs pointing to US 15, and I-83, even though it hadn’t seen automobile traffic since 1972. The bridge was ugly rickety and was far more utilitarian than aesthetic.  But I crossed it, walked it, even ran it. I once rode a golf cart across it. That bridge was my friend.

I moved out in 1995, due in large part to my landlord’s frustration in my inability to handle “grown up” stuff.

On this date in 1996, some ice jams from a bad storm took part of the western span. Every year since then, I had hoped that the bridge would be renovated, so that I could take that walk again. Every year that goes by, it seems to be less of an issue, and the blemish that it’s been left with seems to be one of the things that define the area's character and for lack of a better word, “charm”.