The bridge synonymous with Kurt Cobain in North Aberdeen is reaching a point where there may not be any turning back, so an author from the other side of the country is trying to save it before it’s too late.
Kelly Catlin, a music writer and musician from New Jersey, started an online petition — https://www.change.org/p/kurt-cobain-s-memorial-bridge — in order to keep the North Aberdeen Bridge. The bridge, also known as the Young Street Bridge and the Kurt Cobain Bridge, may see its end in the next couple years.
That end is to be determined as it may mean a total replacement of the bridge, or turning it into a pedestrian and bicycle bridge and building a separate bridge next to or near it, or another option.
The 67-year-old bridge, known as “Kurt’s Bridge,” for the personal messages to the fallen grunge rock icon and his Aberdeen-born band Nirvana, has serious structural problems. While city staff, including its engineering team, maintains the bridge is safe to drive over, the structure has received substantial load limits throughout the last several years. Those load limits, and trucks of a certain size that continue to roll over the bridge, are what worry the engineering team. At some point it won’t be safe to travel over, which worries the engineers, and Aberdeen’s elected officials.
Yet, this isn’t just any bridge. It’s a point that the city is aware of, and a point that many of Aberdeen’s residents keep bringing up. But there is also a lot of money at stake as the city received $23.1 million in grants to replace the bridge. That financial figure has a ticking clock. The engineering team also insists it’ll cost much more to repair the bridge than the $23.1 million in grants that would cover the whole replacement.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, the petition has solicited 963 signatures. The petition has been online since Saturday. Catlin, a music writer, shared what went into her decision to start the petition.
“When speaking with some of the musicians whose music I reviewed, I inquired about their musical influences,” Catlin said. “An overwhelming number of artists were greatly affected — and inspired — by Nirvana, especially Kurt.”
Catlin did some thorough research about Cobain, which included “beautiful stories,” but also “a lot of sensationalism.” That research led to even more investigating into Cobain and Aberdeen.
“I connected with wonderful people in town, from business owners to members of the Grays Harbor Conservation District,” Catlin said. “I learned that Kurt was more than the lead singer of Nirvana. He was a friend, a teacher and an inspiration. And it was brought to my attention that his bridge — a beacon of hope for countless people — was facing demolition.”
One point the bridge’s detractors bring up is how Cobain didn’t sleep under there. Catlin said there are a lot of people who have shared that thought.
“The point isn’t whether Kurt slept beneath the bridge — it’s that Kurt is synonymous with this location and his ethos is felt deeply in this spot,” Catlin said. “This bridge represents tenacity, determination and hope. It also draws visitors to the town, something that benefits local proprietors of all kinds.”
Catlin noted the international appeal for the bridge. The Kurt Cobain Memorial Park — which abuts at the south end bridge — has messages from Europe and beyond.
“People come from the far corners of the world to visit ‘Kurt’s Bridge,’” Catlin said. “When you read the sentiments scrawled across its surface, it’s obvious just how profound Kurt’s impact is.”
One of the messages underneath the bridge contains a simple message: “I survived being a teen because of your art.”
Catlin, whose research led her to writing a book called ”Kurt: Forever in Bloom,” said she was “overwhelmed” with the stories people shared with her and how Cobain positively affected the lives of the musicians with whom she connected.
“He inspired them to pursue music, helped them overcome adversity, and showed them that no dream is too small,” Catlin said.
Tim Holehouse, an English musician, played a short Nirvana set from the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah on Jan. 15. Holehouse, a longtime fan of Cobain, happily played underneath the bridge.
“It’s a dream come true to play here,” Holehouse said between renditions of Nirvana’s “About a Girl,” “Something in the Way” and “Pennyroyal Tea.”
Cobain “personally changed” Holehouse’s life.
“This is the guy who was like, he made me feel like he was one of us. ‘You can do this.’ That inspired me to do music, which is what I’ve done for a living for nearly 20 years. To have memorials like this in his hometown is very important,” he said.
When Catlin “learned” the bridge was facing possible destruction, she “wondered” if there was a way to preserve it.
“Yes, safety is paramount and this is contingent upon engineers being able to repair the bridge, but if there is a way to keep the crucial part of Kurt Cobain’s history alive, then why not try?” Catlin said.
The city has a website dedicated to the concerns about the bridge — from its safety, to the money for its replacement, to the nine alternatives for the bridge — and Catlin is hoping people will head to that website: https://naberdeenbridge.participate.online/ — so they can learn more about the city’s North Aberdeen Bridge Project. She hopes once they learn about the project, they’ll share their thoughts based on “what they’d like to happen with the bridge.”
But clearly, she’d love for the bridge to remain, if possible.
A few perspectives from the Harbor
Josh Holman, a member of the popular Grays Harbor Music group on Facebook, offered his opinion on the bridge.
“That bridge means quite a bit,” Holman said. “(It’s) inspiration for music education, etc., beside the fact it’s a major attraction for Aberdeen.”
Curtis Thorfinson said he signed the petition, too. Thorfinson owns The Tangerine Tree — 114 E. Heron St., in Aberdeen.
“I signed it, and know with it leaving, business along with many others would be devastated.”
Beyond the music
“Kurt was extremely socially conscious,” said Catlin, who added that quality of the late musician inspired her to write a book about him.
“If I hadn’t written this book, I’d never have become involved with the bridge,” Catlin said. “People have shared some incredible stories with me and that’s what prompted me to become involved.”
Catlin said she’ll donate a portion of the book’s profits to various organizations such as The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Camp Victory in Aberdeen, the Grays Harbor Conservation District, the Twin Harbors Wildlife Center, and “more.”
“He enacted societal change and I felt it was only right to use this book to do the same …” Catlin said. “… And it’s all part of why I think we should find a way to preserve this bridge, in one way or another. But demolishing the bridge won’t erase Kurt. That’s the takeaway. He’s more than concrete and steel and his message is forever.”
