“…the pounding of the drums, the pride and disgrace… you can bury your dead but don’t leave a trace… hate your next door neighbor, but don’t forget to say grace…”
“Eve of Destruction” – Barry McGuire (1965, live)
The Sidaway Avenue Footbridge on the near-south side of Cleveland as it is today… Designed by Wilbur J. Watson and Associates and completed in 1931, the 680 foot long pedestrian footbridge spanned the Kingsbury Run gully, and connected a largely Polish Slavic Village neighborhood, on the south side with Garden Valley, a predominantly Black neighborhood, to the north. It is the only suspension bridge in existence in the city. The bridge provided access to schools and hard to find jobs in the connecting areas during the Great Depression. In July of 1966, racial tensions that were prevalent across the country spilled over among groups from the two Cleveland neighborhoods and someone destroyed the bridge by torching the wooden deck planks. The bridge was closed and never opened again. Today the bridge is vastly overgrown with vegetation and there has been talk of relocating the steel structure to one of the Metroparks in the surrounding area. But today it still remains as a sad reminder of troubled times from the past.
Top three photos taken from the North landing on April 23, 2014
Fourth photo taken from the South landing on April 18, 2014
Ramification Photography 
Rather serene in its desolation, shame it can’t be revitalised to heal past wounds. But if relocation ensures its survival then that’s better than utter decay.
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April 26, 2014 at 3:59 am
The area under the bridge is slated for redevelopment. It basically is a barren slice of land spotted with a few abandoned light industrial buildings, and lots of over growth. The state wants to utilize the land, and build what they are calling an “opportunity corridor”– or a grand avenue that would connect one of the main north/south arteries into Cleveland, Interstate-77, with University Circle on the east side. University Circle is the home to Case-Western Reserve University, Cleveland’s Art Museum, The Cleveland Orchestra, University Hospital main campus, the Cleveland Clinic main campus, as well as many other cultural and civic institutions that are important to the city. Currently to get to this part of town there is a lot of busy city driving that one must do. The avenue is supposed to encourage economic development along it’s path in neighborhoods that desperately need it. I am not sure what will become of the bridge. I really do hope that it gets saved somehow for future generations. It really is beautiful and a piece of Cleveland’s history.
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April 27, 2014 at 8:51 am
Thanks for all that background info — really puts it into context. Hope the recession hasn’t blighted all those plans and that the bridge gets appropriate TLC wherever it ends up.
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April 27, 2014 at 10:52 am
These are really great captures…and a wonderful subject. I’m pretty sure I would be returning there multiple times. I’m glad you gave the backstory–adds richness.
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May 2, 2014 at 2:01 pm