Red Vandergrift "Black" Bridge

Red Vandergrift "Black" Bridge

Universally known in town as the Black Bridge, a through-truss steel bridge with a length of 140 feet. It spans the single tracks of what was once the Jersey Central, now the Norfolk and Southern, adjacent to what is commonly referred to as the Orphan bridge.

The bridge was constructed in 1913, replacing an earlier wooden structure. It marks the boundary between the historical section of South Main Street listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and the southern portions of the street, which contain structures and landmarks of equal historical and architectural interest,

The bridge is officially named after Phillipsburg police officer Kenneth "Red" Vandergrift, the only town officer killed in the line of duty. Vandergrift responded to reports of a man threatening his wife with a gun. The man shot Vandergrift as he entered the residence before killing himself. Vandergrift was 35 when he died and left behind a wife and 7-year-old daughter. That happened in 1930, but it was almost 70 years later before the officer was honored by the town with the dedication of the bridge.