Groton — With a new exhibit, people can step back into the 1920s and see black-and-white photos of the building of the Mystic River Bridge and have a glimpse at what the world was like then.

They can see the bridge through the decades, from hurricanes to parades to the filming of "Mystic Pizza" to a rehabilitation project completed in 2013.

It's all part of "100 years of the Mystic River Bridge," an exhibit curated by the Mystic River Historical Society, that opens Saturday at the Groton Public Library in honor of the iconic bridge's centennial this summer.

"The bascule bridge, which is the oldest of its kind in America and one of Connecticut's top tourist attractions," officially opened on July 19, 1922, according to a news release from the historical society. Bascule refers to a type of bridge with a pivoting section that is raised and lowered using counterweights.

The exhibit features six sections that take viewers from Mystic's early bridges to the modern day, with photos and postcards from the society's collection, as well as items recently collected for the exhibit, information from local newspapers and a 2007 log book for the bridge provided by the state Department of Transportation.

During a recent interview at the library, Marilyn Comrie and Elizabeth Boucher, who curated the exhibit, pointed out photos depicting moments in history, such as when the 1938 hurricane swamped the bridge, the Charles W. Morgan passing by the bridge in 1941, and floats crossing the bridge during the Mystic Tercentenary Parade in 1954. One float, Boucher pointed out, recreated the Burrows Ferry, an early way to cross the Mystic River in the 1600s.

Construction started on the bridge in July 1921, said Comrie, a member of the historical society's board and a past president. 

The exhibit has a list of downtown Mystic businesses circa 1922 and a Mystic and Stonington directory from 1922-23. People also can see how much it would cost to go grocery shopping then, with a loaf of bread selling for 12 cents and a dozen eggs going for 47 cents.

Boucher, the historical society's collections manager, said the historical society has been trying to do more outreach in general but does not have enough space in its building at 74 High St. to hold exhibits. When the opportunity came up to use space at the Groton Public Library, which people from all over the area can access, the society didn't want to pass that up.

The 100th anniversary of the bridge is also a really unique opportunity, Boucher said: "It's something that people locally are excited about, so we wanted to capitalize on that."

She pointed out that Mystic is a community that’s separated by a river, and the bridge is the link. The span carries vehicle and pedestrian traffic over the Mystic River between the towns of Groton and Stonington.

Comrie said one of the stories of the bridge is the dichotomy between tourists, who see the bridge as a beloved attraction, and residents, who have to time their life around the bridge's openings or may even avoid it altogether, especially during the summer when there is a lot of river traffic.

She said people have enjoyed the information about the bridge that the historical society has been featuring in its newsletters. "I think that there's a great interest in it," she said. "I think deep down people who live in Mystic love the bridge."

For many residents, the bridge most of the time is just a backdrop. Comrie said she, herself, walks across the span every day and never thought much about it, but since working on this project, she now notices things she hadn't before. She called it a "marvel" as a machine — and tourists rave about it — and she hopes people who live nearby will take a new look at it, as well.

The opening reception for the exhibit will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at the Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Road (Route 117). There will be a short program with historical society President Steve Menno, Boucher and Comrie at 2:30 p.m. People also can view the free exhibit, which will run through the end of October, when the library is open, according to a news release.

The historical exhibit is the kickoff of "a months-long celebration, which will culminate on Oct. 15, with a program and fireworks in Mystic River Park, sponsored by the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce," the release states.

The chamber's website, mysticchamber.org, notes that: "Beginning in April 2022, the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, the Mystic River Historical Society, and Foxwoods Resort Casino are partnering with a host of for-profit and non-profit organizations to commemorate the Mystic Bascule Bridge’s 100th Year!" The chamber said there will be events in the spring and summer and then the fireworks on Oct. 15.

Groton Town Historian James Streeter will give a lecture titled "Mystic River Bridges – Past and Present” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, in the parish house of the Mystic Congregational Church, 43 E. Main St., Mystic, according to a news release. Doors open at 7 p.m. for "refreshments and mingling." The program is free to historical society members, and a $5 donation is suggested for nonmembers.

"The program is part of the Mystic River Historical Society's monthly lecture series and is being co-sponsored with the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce as part of the centennial celebration of the Mystic drawbridge," the release states.

k.drelich@theday.com