• Mystic, Connecticut Holiday Ornament — The Bridge That Stops the Traffic — 3-inch faceted crystal glass ornament in gold gift box
  • Mystic, Connecticut Holiday Ornament — The Bridge That Stops the Traffic — 3-inch faceted crystal glass ornament in white gift box
  • Mystic, Connecticut Holiday Ornament — The Bridge That Stops the Traffic — front view: the 1920 bascule bridge at mid-lift in heavy woodcut line: two massive concrete counterweights on latticed steel towers, the roadway leaf raised at a steep angle, tender's house at center with a small green wreath
  • Mystic, Connecticut Holiday Ornament — The Bridge That Stops the Traffic — crystal ornament hanging by red ribbon, faceted beveled edge
  • Mystic, Connecticut Holiday Ornament — The Bridge That Stops the Traffic — angled view of the gem-cut crystal edge catching light
  • Mystic, Connecticut Holiday Ornament — The Bridge That Stops the Traffic — close-up detail of the printed art on crystal glass
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Mystic Connecticut Holiday Ornament - Bascule Drawbridge

Mystic Connecticut Holiday Ornament - Bascule Drawbridge

$28.00 USD
$28.00 USD
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Bascule Drawbridge. Twice an hour in summer, traffic on a state highway stops so a sailboat can go by. The road tilts into the air, two blocks of concrete the size of delivery vans drop down, and everybody waits. Nobody honks.

The Mystic River bascule bridge was built in 1920, engineered by Thomas Ellis Brown, and it still works on the principle a child would recognize: the roadway is a seesaw, and the counterweights are what make a hundred tons of steel rise at the touch of a lever. It replaced a swing bridge that had replaced a wooden one. The tender still sits in the little house at the center and still rings the bell before every lift.

Most towns removed their drawbridges - too slow, too expensive, too much in the way of the cars. Mystic kept its own and discovered that the inconvenience was the attraction. The bridge lifting is the town's clock, its street theater, and the moment every visitor stops to watch, whether they intended to or not.

Printed on a three-inch faceted crystal glass round, white-backed so the heavy black line reads clearly from across a room and the small green wreath catches tree light. The faceted edge throws light from every angle. Arrives boxed - white or gold gift box, your choice at checkout.

For the person who has waited at that bridge in August and did not mind a bit. Merlin Classics profits support hunger relief.

3-inch (76 mm) round crystal glass ornament · faceted gem-cut edge · white-backed print for crisp contrast · red ribbon hanger · your choice of white or gold gift box, included · free U.S. shipping.

 

More Mystic CT Items

Below are excerpts from our Mystic history page. The Mystic town logo and the full town story are available through the collection link above.

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The shipyards that made Mystic. In April 1861, Mystic, Connecticut had a population of just 2,500 people. It was a clipper-ship town. Beautiful, fast sailing vessels — the David Crockett, the Andrew Jackson — but the clipper era was already winding down by then. The Panic of 1857 had hollowed out demand. Steam was beginning to replace sail. A small Connecticut town that had built its identity around a dying technology should have faded with it. Then Fort Sumter fell, and Lincoln called for warships. Within months, the Mystic yards had pivoted entirely. The same shipwrights who had been laying clipper keels were welding steam boilers and bolting iron plate. Five major shipyards — George Greenman & Company, Charles Mallory & Sons, Maxson Fish & Company, Irons & Grinnell, and Hill, Grinnell & Company — ran day and night. The Mystic Pioneer newspaper editor wrote on May 18, 1861: "All our shipyards are hard at work. Whatever the effect of the war in other places, we believe it will prove a benefit to Mystic." He had no idea. Between 1861 and 1865, Mystic launched 56 steamers — five percent of all Northern steamship construction. Among them was the USS Galena, one of the three original Union ironclads, launched at Maxson, Fish & Company in February 1862. Galena fought up the James River alongside the USS Monitor in the dash to threaten Richmond. She took 28 hits at Drewry's Bluff and survived. The USS Varuna, built by Charles Mallory & Sons, fought at Admiral Farragut's capture of New Orleans in 1862. The side-wheel steamer Escort, built by Greenman in 1862, ran a Confederate gauntlet on the Tar River carrying Black Union soldiers and supplies to a besieged garrison at Plymouth, North Carolina, in 1864. When the smoke cleared in 1865, no other New England port had built more steamships than Mystic. Not Boston. Not Portland. Not any of them. A town of 2,500 people, on a 5-mile river, had outbuilt them all.

Our Mystic logo carries Connecticut's oyster shell over "Connecticut · Est. 1636," tying the village to the colonial founding of Connecticut — the shared emblem of every Merlin Classics Connecticut place. Printed black-and-white with the worn look of an old oyster-crate label, the shell reads as the shoreline in shorthand: tidal, maritime, salt-aired. What makes this one Mystic is the story behind it — the five yards, the six hundred ships, and the last wooden whaler in the world.

Why People Visit Mystic Connecticut

Mystic blends living maritime history with family experiences. Walkable streets, river views, and hands-on exhibits keep visits engaging. It is picturesque and educational in equal measure. Travelers find year round appeal in parks, paths, and public spaces. The setting combines natural beauty with accessible neighborhoods and landmarks. History and everyday culture sit side by side in a welcoming way.

Mystic Connecticut Merlin Classics retro vintage logo featuring oyster shell motif and 1636 founding date

Wear Local. Feed Local. Stay Classic.

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Because items are made to order, we can’t accept returns for sizing or color choices. We do accept returns for defects, misprints, or shipping damage. Please review the detailed photos and descriptions before purchasing. Women’s fitted tees run small; if you prefer a looser fit, consider sizing up.

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We accept returns for defects, misprints, or damage on arrival. Report issues within 30 days with photos and your order number, and we’ll replace or refund. Size or color changes aren’t supported after purchase, so please consult size charts before ordering if you are at all unsure.

Who are we?

Merlin Classics is a volunteer-run, AI-assisted apparel project celebrating timeless local style. Every item is made to order, and profits (revenue minus external product/marketing cost) support hunger-relief programs in the communities our collections spotlight. Classic looks, real local impact—every purchase helps.