Ritchie Supports Renovation Of Historic Bridge House In Phoenix

State Senator Patty Ritchie is announcing she has delivered $50,000 in state funding to reimburse the Village of Phoenix for a portion of its recent efforts to renovate its historic waterfront Bridge House Museum. The popular building sits on the Oswego River Canal and is the home to various artifacts depicting the history of the New York State Barge Canal.

The renovations included repairing the museum’s roof and windows, scraping and painting the interior walls, adding a kitchen facility and more. In addition, that project inspired the village to do even more at the site, such as expanding and preserving its dock space with composite materials, updating the electrical wiring, adding a kayak launch and more.

“The Bridge House Museum is a place rich with history enjoyed by locals, as well as visitors to Central New York,” said Senator Ritchie. “I am proud to have been able to support efforts to improve this museum, and look forward to it being a key part of the community—as well as an integral part of welcoming boaters to Phoenix—for many years to come.”

“The Bridge House is an absolute gem in our community.  It is such an important part of our history and sitting on the waterfront, it continues to be a center for many of the things we do to provide fun, outdoor recreation to our residents and guests,” Village of Phoenix Administrator James Lynch said. “It is wonderful that Senator Ritchie understands the importance of places like the Bridge House and is as interested as we are in ensuring it and the waterfront presence in our community continues for the next generation.”

The Bridge House is also the headquarters for a group known as the “Bridge House Brats.”  The ‘Brats’ are a group of local, volunteer kids who serve food from local restaurants to boaters, host events throughout the summer and help beautify the waterfront. 

In 2015, Senator Ritchie joined the ‘Brats’ for a ribbon cutting at the Bridge House’s new Pavilion.