The city of Salisbury Street Division and Historic Salisbury Foundation members and volunteers will team up on Saturday, November 23 from 9 a.m. to noon to paint two bridges located in historic districts near downtown.
The Shober Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as part of the Ellis Street Graded School Historic District. This has been the location of a bridge since the North Carolina Railroad created the line going west in 1857, and is named for Colonel Francis Shober, a North Carolina congressman in the post-Civil War era. The East Fisher Street Bridge, located in the 200 block, is part of the Brooklyn-South Square Historic District. Both bridges recently underwent extensive repairs.
Each bridge will receive a protective coating of white wood stain on the handrails and posts to help preserve the wood, thereby extending the life of the recent repairs. Documentary photographs from the mid-1900s show that the handrails along the Shober Bridge were once painted white.
Both bridges will be closed to vehicular traffic through 2 p.m. In the event of rain or inclement weather, the project will be postponed until Saturday, Dec. 7.
Volunteers are asked to arrive at either bridge and materials will be provided. Those interested in volunteering to assist with this project may call the Street Division at 704-638-5251.