Thread City Crossing
Windham, Conn.
Centerbrook Architects and Planners

Weaving whimsy and history in a symbolic new bridge

© Jeff Goldberg/Esto

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The new bridge over the Willimantic River in Windham, Conn., serves as an entryway to the town and its historic district. An expressive structure, it includes symbols of the community’s history, industry, and legends.

Once known as "thread city," Windham was the headquarters of the American Thread Company, formerly one of the world's leading thread manufacturers. The factory, Windham Mills, stands in sight of the bridge. The town also gained notoriety one night in June of 1754, during the French and Indian War, when a tremendous noise awakened the townspeople. Expecting an attack and fearing for their lives, many ran from their homes to hide in the woods. In sad fact, the noise came from bullfrogs, fighting for the last drops of water in a dried-up millpond. Descendants of the embarrassed residents later made a bullfrog-on-a-spool the town symbol.

Working with engineers Maguire Group Connecticut, the Department of Transportation, and the local government, the architects designed a motif that playfully evokes this unique character and history. The bridge features giant concrete spools of thread above the abutments. Atop the spools on each end of the structure sit twelve-foot bronze frogs, sculpted by Leo Jensen of Ivorytown, Conn. In this way, Windham communicates a sense of humor about its colorful past.

Formal name of Project:
Thread City Crossing

Location:
Windham, Conn.

Total construction cost:
$13.4 Million

Owner:
Connecticut Department of Transportation

Architect:
Centerbrook Architects and Planners
67 Main Street
Post Office Box 955
Centerbrook, CT 06409
Phone: 860-767-0175
Fax: 860-767-8719
www.centerbrook.com