Saturday in Fenton Was a Good Time in the Olde Towne

The Fenton Days 175th birthday party attracted thousands to the festival who were on hand as the new Meramec River Bridge was dedicated. Food, entertainment and refreshments were available in all forms at the big birthday party.

Fenton businesses and motorists waited five long years to see the new bridge over the Meramec River open to traffic. But it was closed to cars again Saturday as city officials from both sides of the river and Fenton residents young and old celebrated the city's 175th birthday. The bridge was reopened at 7 a.m. Sunday. "It's refreshing to see this," said Fenton Mayor Dennis Hancock to a crowd of birthday partyers, after being delivered to a makeshift stage at the Fenton end of the bridge by a 1901 Oldsmobile vehicle. "This is one of the great days in the city's history." Hancock spoke of the Meramec River as one thread that ties all of Fenton together, ever since a man named William Lindsay Long drew up a plat map for the city back in 1818…

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Images of the Old and New Meramec River Bridge, the Star of Saturday's 175th Birthday Celebration

Fenton resident and Patch photo blogger has some striking images of the old and new Meramec River bridge that will be displayed and for sale at The Studio Gallery, 14 Fenton Plaza, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Big Birthday Party Saturday To Celebrate Fenton's 175 Years

Music, food, refreshments and fireworks on tap for the big citywide party.

William Lindsay Long, the founder of Fenton who named the town after his grandmother, Elizabeth Fenton Bennett, wouldn't recognize the place today. Long laid out an eight-square-block area, which is known today as Olde Towne, back in 1818. but he didn't get the paperwork filed until 1837, which is why Fenton will celebrate its 175th birthday Saturday. According to the archives of the Fenton Historical Society, the first settlers started arriving in the Fenton area in the 1700s who followed European explorers to the area. But preceding the settlers were the Native American Mound builders, whose more well known home is now Cahokia Mounds State Park, near Cahokia, IL. Mound Street in Olde Towne is likely the last vestige of the Mound Builders…

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Fenton's Meramec River Bridge Opens With No Fanfare

"Halleluiah" was the comment from Fenton Mayor Dennis Hancock on the long-awaited opening of the bridge between Olde Towne Fenton and Sunset Hills. He also said: "I feel like I just gave birth to an elephant."

Fenton's Meramec River Bridge Opens With No Fanfare

"Halleluiah" was the comment from Fenton Mayor Dennis Hancock on the long-awaited opening of the bridge between Olde Towne Fenton and Sunset Hills. He also said: "I feel like I just gave birth to an elephant."

Without any fanfare or ceremony, the new Meramec River Bridge in Fenton opened to motorists Friday morning. It's been a long time coming. The old bridge was closed in August 2007 after a St. Louis County inspection found extensive deterioration to the bridge deck and support system. Numerous weather delays, including historically high river levels, not only delayed demolition of the old bridge, but also delayed the completion of the new connector between Sunset Hills and Olde Towne Fenton. The new bridge is the fourth to span the Meramec River at or near that location in Fenton. According to the archives of the Fenton Historical Society: "A ferry boat was established in 1833 for ease in crossing the Meramec River, and in the same year the …

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New Bridge in Fenton Could Open a Bit Sooner Than Expected

Dry weather is needed to complete some of the final steps to finish the bridge.

With any luck, and there has been precious little of that during the construction of the new Meramec River Bridge in Fenton, the new span could open before its scheduled Aug. 27 debut. The most recent completion date given by city officials for the opening of the new bridge has been the Monday following the big Fenton Days birthday party in Olde Towne Fenton on Aug. 25. But that date could be moved up if a few last minute things are completed. So will it open earlier than advertised?  "Maybe," said Fenton City Administrator Mark Sartors. As with many delays associated with construction of the new bridge, the opening date is a function of the weather. "I can't tell you when it's going to open unless you tell me when it is or isn't going to …

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Olde Towne Makes Birthday Party Plans

Fenton Days - A Celebration of 175 Years will be a big community birthday party on Aug. 25 to coincide with the dedication of the new bridge over the Meramec River.

Plans are firming up for Fenton's big 175th birthday party as members of the Olde Towne Fenton Business association met Tuesday to discuss events being planned on Aug. 25, the day of the big event. The centerpiece of the birthday celebration will be the dedication of the new bridge over the Meramec River, which is unofficially being called the Olde Town Fenton Bridge. Although the bridge won't officially be open that day, the expectation is that it will open for traffic a day or two later, if current predictions remain valid. The city will only say the bridge opening is set for late August or early September. Part of Tuesday's discussion by the Olde Towne group concerned plans for a Washers Tournament to be held in the festival area. …

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Meramec River Bridge Crawls Toward August Opening

Sidewalk, fence installed on deck of Fenton's new bridge.

There still is roadway construction to be done as Pace Construction Co. workers will spend the next several weeks putting the finishing touches on the long-delayed Meramec River Bridge between Fenton and Sunset Hills. The latest work has included erecting a fence along the pedestrian sidewalk on the west side of the bridge. Still to be completed is work on the access roads on both sides of the river as well as some wiring and final grading work. All of the construction is geared toward an Aug. 25 dedication of the new bridge, although the span itself likely will not open until Aug. 27. Regardless, the City of Fenton will celebrate with a large "Fenton Days" festival to celebrate the city's 175th birthday. The festival will include music, …

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'Fenton Days' Celebration, Bridge Dedication Planned for Aug. 25

Meramec River Bridge dedication to be part of the festivities regardless of whether it is open to traffic yet.

The new Meramec River Bridge will be dedicated Aug. 25 even though it may not be open for traffic. And it probably won't be open. "We don't think it will be," said Fenton City Administrator Mark Sartors. Alderman Harold Bade, who attended a meeting of the Olde Towne Fenton Business Association Tuesday, said, "What we're calling it is the dedication of the bridge. It' not an opening. There's lots of little stuff to be finished." The final "stuff" includes the construction of fences on the bridge and some of the approach areas, completion of the roadway approaches to the bridge on the Fenton and Sunset Hills side of the river and asphalting of certain streets and parking areas in the construction zone. Sartors said the new bridge likely will…

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