Hill's Bridge

Hill's Bridge first appears in the following record, 1736, July 22 : "Whereas, a number of Persons in the neighboring Towns have Petitioned the General Sessions in Middx. for a highway from Westford meeting-house cross Concord River over Lt. Joseph Hill's bridge to Lexington," a committee of five was chosen "to manage that aff'aire in the behalfe of the Town." Lieutenant Hill probably lived on the west side of Concord River near this bridge, which he may have built for his own convenience and that of the neighborhood. It would seem that the Court approved the petition, for, 1737, May 16, the town instructed the committee "to manage the affaire in Defense of the Town"; to proceed either by appeal from the Sessions, or by laying the matter before the General Court, or both. The town was soon called upon to pay £59, 10s., which implies that the case was decided in favor of the petitioners.

The history of Hill's Bridge is largely unremarkable except for a notable episode that left a lasting imprint on the collective memory of the town. Following the inauguration of the Middlesex Turnpike, the bridge and the road it traversed fell into neglect, succumbing to disuse and decay. Eventually, the bridge collapsed, and for a considerable period, its reconstruction was postponed.

The turning point for Hill's Bridge came with a growing demand for its reconstruction and a realignment of the adjoining road. Seeking a more direct and less hilly route than the Middlesex Turnpike, residents from Chelmsford and neighboring towns, especially above Lexington, spearheaded efforts for improvement. Mrs. Joseph Foster played a pivotal role by generously providing the right of way through her land on the west side of the river. Some dedicated individuals took initiative, constructing one of the abutments.

However, the proposed changes did not sit well with the majority of the populace. Many residents were averse to diverting traffic and commerce away from the town center to a more distant route. Faced with opposition, proponents of the project encountered various hurdles. Traditional means of resistance proving ineffective, a group of citizens, reportedly including some of the town's most respected figures, took matters into their own hands. Tradition holds that a mob, possibly the only one in the town's history, emerged to dismantle the offensive abutment. The aftermath of the destruction led to legal repercussions, with lawsuits filed against the town. In an unfavorable turn of events, the town lost the legal battles and was compelled to reconstruct the bridge and the road.