Arroyo Grande California

One of the little towns on Highway 101 that caught my attention recently was the little village of Arroyo Grande, California. This town is 13 miles south of San Luis Obispo. Arroyo Grande is loaded with historic landmarks and museums, like a one-room schoolhouse, and the house of the town's first physician. But the one attraction that I came to see was the Swinging Bridge. The bridge was originally built way back in 1875 by a landowner whose property was divided by the Arroyo Grande Creek. He needed a connection between the residential area and the business district. It sustained extensive damage due to storms and had to be rebuilt and strengthened, but its still there, doing its job. I like this kind of stuff and wanted to go see it.



We had driven Carl back up to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to begin his next quarter, and were going to make one last shopping trip with him in Arroyo Grande early Sunday morning January 3rd before heading back home. So of course I talked the guys into a quick little side trip to the historical visit. We headed into town with just a general idea of where to find this bridge. Jerome randomly turned right on a little street off the main street of the historic section, and bam! There it was. Almost like he knew where he was going.



I can't imagine a bridge than spans a flowing creek about 30 feet down, without sides. I wonder how many people fell off in 27 years before they made this improvement?



The little bridge is called the swinging bridge. It is the only bridge of its kind in California. After walking across it to the neighborhood on the other side, I think it is better described as a "shaky bridge" than a swinging one. It feels kind of rickety, but that is by design. It has been reinforced over the years and is quite safe. It is a very short bridge. You can walk across and back in a couple minutes. That was all I wanted to see. When we walked back across, I heard a rooster crowing, and wondered aloud, "Who has chickens in this neighborhood?"



I walked along creekside walk toward's a sign that identified the area as Kiwanis Park. This park is more like a natural ravine, heading straight down to the flowing creek. As I neared Kiwanis Park,that's when I saw them. Roosters, coming out from the shelter of the shrubs. I saw one, then another. There were at least 10 of them, all of different types. There was a tall Rhode Island Red, a plucky little Banty, with his distinctive feathered legs, a large and really pretty cream-colored one. All roosters, all crowing. Then I saw the sign, erected at the entrance to this park, forbidding people from dumping their cats dogs, or chickens. This led me to wonder which came first? The chickens or the sign?

I love poultry, having had my own little pet Banty hen back when I was in high school. So of course, I had to take a closer look at the roosters, who were healthy and for roosters, pretty friendly. They had no problem with me getting close to take their picture.



The bridge was interesting, the creek was flowing, the park was green and pretty, but what made me smile were the roosters. If you are ever in the neighborhood, go explore the little historic center. Check out the bridge, and listen for the crowing of the denizens of the Arroyo Grande Kiwanis Park.