Where do I meet for the program?

Meet at the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center before the scheduled start time.

How long is the experience?

The lecture runs approximately 1 hour.

Is the audience outdoors or indoors?

The presentation includes both indoor commentary and outdoor viewing at the waterline; expect some standing outdoors.

Are children allowed?

The program is family-friendly, but parents should supervise children near the riverbank.

Can I see the piers lit like during Riverfest?

Yes—on Riverfest weekend (noted events like the June 28th finale), all piers are lit for public viewing.

Is there accessible parking?

Check with the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center for specific accessibility and parking details before attending.

Fire on the Piers: Behind-the-Scenes at the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge Commemoration

On the banks of the Susquehanna River at the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center, the story of a bridge unfolds both as history and public ritual. Preparing the Piers: A Bridge Shaped our History brings participants down to the waterline of the Columbia‑Wrightsville Bridge site in Columbia, Pennsylvania, for an hour-long, behind-the-scenes lecture with Albert Storm about the community project that returned fire to the bridge piers during the 2013 150th anniversary commemoration.

The program centers on the physical piers that still rise from the river—stone and concrete columns that marked the original bridge line—and the dramatic fire cages installed to echo the bridge burning that played a key role in Civil War movements across the Susquehanna. That intersection of engineered riverwork and living memory creates a skyline unlike most river towns: a long horizontal silhouette punctuated by glowing vertical piers, framed by the river’s wide, slow channel and the riparian trees that edge its banks.

You’ll meet at the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center, where local advocates, historians, and preservation groups gathered to design the installation that blends spectacle with stewardship. Albert Storm narrates the advocacy, design choices, community funding, and logistical challenges of staging controlled fire along an active waterway. There’s practical discussion too—safety, permitting, and the partnership with Wright’s Ferry Mansion and Riverfest organizers, who return each summer to light the piers for the public finale.

This is a concise, communal experience aimed at people who care about living history, urban riverscapes, and public commemoration. It’s not a technical tour: no climbing or boat access is required, but expect standing outdoors and close views of the waterline structures. The presentation illuminates why the piers matter—how an engineered crossing shaped town identity and how contemporary civic action reshaped that memory into a recurring public ritual.

Bring a camera, dress for wind off the river, and arrive a few minutes early to explore interpretive panels at the trails center. If you visit on the Riverfest weekend—when all piers are lit—you’ll see the installation at full effect. The program is a model for how small communities reanimate historic infrastructure: partly preservation project, partly performative commemoration, wholly rooted in place and civic pride.

Expect practical storytelling: how volunteers, engineers, and local foundations negotiated permits, fire safety plans, and environmental reviews to stage a controlled ignition that honors history without harming the river. Albert Storm shows photographs and planning sketches, and points to the pier locations where crews staged the installation in 2013. For visitors, the event doubles as a case study in creative preservation—small-town civic process made visible—and a reminder that built infrastructure can become a public stage. Check the trails center for seasonal schedules and any safety advisories before attending.