Traveling the Merritt Parkway
About this ebook
A survey made in 1928 called for a two-lane macadam highway to run from Stratford to Greenwich; with $1 million of state money, construction started on the Merritt Highway in 1932. Opened for 38 miles on September 2, 1940, it became known throughout Fairfield County as the "Queen of Parkways." Discover the beginnings of this groundbreaking advance in American travel in Traveling the Merritt Parkway. This pictorial history preserves and pays tribute to the history of the Merritt, and explores the construction of the parkway, as well as the little-known parent highway for which the earliest bridges were constructed, including White Plains Road in the town of Trumbull.
About the author
With an extensive background in civil engineering, author and retired highway engineer Larry Larned combines images from his personal collection with a thoroughly researched and informative text to tell the story of the Merritt. Larned also draws images from local historical societies, the State of Connecticut archives, private collections, and newspaper files. Traveling the Merritt Parkway captures not only a part of Connecticut's history but our nation's as well, as transportation became a booming industry in the twentieth century. Join Larry Larned in celebrating the history of the Merritt, and the many who have enjoyed its unique bridges and scenic vistas.
