A beloved and ‘beautiful’ CT bridge emblazoned on postal stamp, one of only four in nation honored

The Middletown-Portland Railroad Bridge that carries trains over the Connecticut River is forever captured in pop culture history, serving as one of the settings for Billy Joel’s “The River of Dreams” music video.

Now its neighbor to the north, the Arrigoni Bridge, will have its own place in history too, when it’s featured on one of four new U.S. Postal Service stamps this month.

The series of First-Class stamps will showcase four bridges from around the country, all selected for both its aesthetic and its role in the communities they serve.

“It is quite beautiful,” said Deborah Shaprio, the Middletown municipal historian for the Middlesex Historical Society. “When you’re driving up Route 9 and all of a sudden the city is in front of you, you see these beautiful arches.”

The stamps will be released on Aug. 24. The Connecticut Cover Club, Portland Historical Society and town of Portland are acting as host for a ceremony that day at 11 a.m. at the Portland Senior Center to celebrate the first day of release.

The other three bridges to be honored in this way are: the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge, which crosses the Missouri River in Omaha, Neb.; the Skydance Bridge, a pedestrian bridge in Oklahoma City, Okla.; and the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge, which carries Interstate 74 across the Mississippi River.

“The stamps feature existing photographs of four different bridges that range from modern to historic, pedestrian to car-carrying, but all are important landmarks in their communities,” the postal service said.

Middletown Postmaster David Saraceno said he’s been getting calls all summer from residents looking to put a little local flare on their mail.

He’s had to inform them, though, that the stamps are only available for bulk purchase and are typically used for mass mailings.

“There was a bit of a disappointment when I told them they had to buy it in rolls” of 3,000 or 5,000,” he said. Users also will need a permit.

Saraceno said he and his staff are still excited about the release, as are stamp collectors and history buffs in both Middletown and Portland.

“This was such a unique event that we couldn’t pass it up,” said Julie Macksoud, president of the Portland Historical Society. The group is celebrating its 50th anniversary and members were excited the stamp release could be a part of their series of events.

The Arrigoni Bridge is a roughly 1,200 foot steel arch bridge crossing the Connecticut River and connecting Middletown and Portland.

It’s named after Charles Arrigoni, who represented the area in both the state House of Representatives and Senate and strongly pushed for the project.

Opened in 1938, the Arrigoni Bridge was meant to improve traffic for drivers looking to travel between Middletown and Portland. It remains in very regular use by motorists crossing the river.

“It certainly is a lifeline between the two communities,” Shapiro said.

It’s the bridge’s design that makes it stand out, though, with its two 600-foot arches. Macksoud remembers seeing the bridge often when she and her husband were shopping for homes ahead of their move from Maine nearly a decade ago.

She said she the bridge had the look of an “unknown quantity” when she first saw it.

“To be honest, I was probably a little trepidatious, like ‘oh, this look interesting,’” she recalled. “Is it two-way? One-way? Is there a fee?”

The bridge has become a landmark for people who don’t know where Portland is, though. Now, she’s helping to organize an event to celebrate the stamp’s release, including inviting historians and members of Arrigoni’s family.

“So many people have such wonderful memories,” she said.

The Connecticut Cover Club has been planning something special for its stamp-collecting members.

The group had an artist create special envelopes with designs that compliment a new release of the stamp. The stamps are mailed, canceled and returned to the collectors.

“We’re very proud when the U.S. Postal Service issues stamps in Connecticut, in particular,” said club member Brian McGee, who’s helping to coordinate the release event.

According to the club’s records, 48 stamps were issued first in Connecticut. The most recent were two stamps, Hudson River School art, (American Treasures series) and poinsettias, released on the same day in 2014 in Hartford.

Attendees at the ceremony can purchase strips of four stamps for $1 and the Portland Post Office will also have strips 25 for $6.25. Those stamps cannot be used to send First Class mail.