When we first climbed the hill to the cemetery it was to get a good view of a famous nearby bridge – the Nicholson Viaduct – built nearly a century ago and representing a breakthrough in reinforced concrete construction. But it didn’t take long before the solemnity of Memorial Day, along with flowers and flags on the graves of veterans overwhelmed the views of the bridge. So my photographic project changed from capturing the grandeur of the bridge alone to thinking about what each element of the scene represented about America. The bridge is a testament to the amazing ingenuity and industriousness that helped shape our country (the rail line passing over it helped provide coal to fuel our industrial expansion – to the enrichment of many and death of some in the mines), while the graves of veterans remembered the sacrifices made to keep the US a free nation. Finally, the flag flying overhead is an appropriate way to remember on this day of remembrance that we are all still one nation, and hopefully will continue to pull together – or at least forward – to address both our problems and opportunities.

Nicholson Cemetery and Nicholson Viaduct on Memorial Day, 2012
Lackawanna Railroad Bridge in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania