Twin Peaks Film Location – Bridge in Pilot and Part 18

Twin Peaks Film Location - Twin Peaks Bridge

If there was a cousin to Ronette Pulaski’s bridge, it would most likely be the Meadowbrook Bridge that’s seen in both the Pilot Episode and Part 18 on Showtime. This historic bridge is located just down the street from Ronette’s, and has the distinction of being seen in the first and the last episode of Twin Peaks.

BRIDGE LOCATION

Twin Peaks Film Location - Meadowbrook Bridge
Google Maps

There are really two distinct shots of the bridge. The Pilot scene was shot around 47°31’34.1″N 121°48’43.9″W, while the scene in Part 18, which features Richard/Cooper driving across the bridge with Carrie Page, is found at 47°31’35.8″N 121°48’44.2″W.

HISTORY OF MEADOWBROOK BRIDGE

Photo by: Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum
Photo by: Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum

Spanning the Snoqualmie River, the Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum has a photo of an early bridge from 1913. This was about ten years before the town of Meadowbrook was established.  A dirt road leads to the bridge where one must make a sharp right turn before crossing it. Mount Si and a snow-topped Mount Teneriffe are seen in the background.

Photo by: Clark Kinsey, Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum
Photo by: Clark Kinsey, Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum

Following the opening of the Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Co. Mill in 1914, the area saw a dramatic increase in both population and traffic. The old dirt road bridge needed an upgrade. On October 19, 1921, townsfolk gathered to dedicate a new Parker through truss bridge.

Meadowbrook Bridge Dedication Plaque
September 15, 2019

A dedication plaque still exists on the bridge – No. 1725 A in King County, Washington. Don H. Evans served as the bridge engineer, while Ward & Ward, Inc. was the contractor on record.

Aerial view of the town of Meadowbrook in 1943. PC: Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum
Aerial view of the town of Meadowbrook in 1943. PC: Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum

The new bridge was a perfect addition to service the town of Meadowbrook, established in 1923 by Arthur Platt and his wife. The town would later be annexed to Snoqualmie in 1952.

REHABILITATED BRIDGE

Meadowbrook Bridge in Snoqualmie, Washington
September 15, 2019

In December 2004, the Metropolitan King County Council approved an agreement between the county and city of Snoqualmie to rehabilitate the historic Meadowbrook Bridge.

Meadowbrook Bridge in Snoqualmie, Washington
September 15, 2019

The county converted it to a one-lane bridge, with traffic controls at each end. The bridge was closed about seven months during construction. About 70 percent of the project’s $6.1 million cost was covered by federal grants.

View of Ronette's Bridge from Meadowbrook - September 15, 2019
View of Ronette’s Bridge from Meadowbrook – September 15, 2019

According to the Snoqualmie Valley Record, three community input meetings were held by the county in October and December of 1996 and December 1997.

‘The choices included tearing down the bridge, opening the bridge to pedestrian and bicycle traffic only, repairing the bridge and keeping it as a two-lane road or reconstructing the bridge and installing a new structure.

“The sentiment was don’t close the bridge,’ Bill Oakes, a King County supervising engineer said of the public hearings. ‘They said they could live with the one-lane option or they wanted the bridge completely replaced.’

Meadowbrook Bridge dedication plaque
September 15, 2019

The design consultant was ABJK, Inc. and the contractor was Wilder Construction. The roadway over the bridge was repaved and thetimber approaches were replaced with concrete. The steel archway and pedestrian walkway, however, were not modified by design.

“It’s going to remain with the historical character and that’s important to us,” said Snoqualmie City Administrator Gary Armstrong. “If money and funding were available, we’d prefer it to be a two-lane bridge … but it’s better to have an improvement done than nothing at all.”

“GUARDIANS” PUBLIC ART

Guardians Plaque
September 15, 2019

One of the unique aspects of the refurbished bridge is a public art addition by Bruce Myers. A plaque on the bridge from 2005 provides insight about his bronze art titled “Guardians”:

“The four entrance panels to the historic truss bridge are symbolic of the vision of the community to preserve the connection to the landscape and the past. The eagle, referring stylistically to Northwest Native art, and the elk antlers, representing the strength and significance of nature to the region. Inspired by the once dense forests and the local loggers that worked there, the log sections are from Douglas fir and cedar trees.”

"Guardians" By Bruce Myers
September 19, 2019
"Guardians" By Bruce Myers
September 15, 2019
"Guardians" By Bruce Myers
September 15, 2019
"Guardians" By Bruce Myers
September 15, 2019

TWIN PEAKS PILOT

Twin Peaks Film Location - Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Pilot

The first time we see the bridge is when Joey Paulson and Donna Hayward are seen escaping from the Roadhouse. This location is in Snoqualmie while the Roadhouse exterior is about six miles away in Fall City, Washington.

Meadowbrook Way in Snoqualmie, Washington
September 15, 2019

They take a gravel road onto Meadowbrook Way. Behind them would have been the Riverside Mobile Home Park, which served as the film location for the Fat Trout Trailer Park in Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me.

Meadowbrook Way at Night
January 25, 2020

If they turned right instead of crossing the bridge, they would end up at the Intersection, Mo’s Motor and Gersten Hayward’s apartment.

Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Pilot
Meadowbrook Bridge in Snoqualmie, Washington
September 15, 2019

The camera follows Joey as they disappear over the bridge.

Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Pilot

I combined two shots that show Sheriff Truman’s vehicle silently following Joey and Donna after they cross the bridge.

Meadowbrook Way in Snoqualmie, Washington
January 25, 2020

A similar view from Meadowbrook Way at night.

RECYCLED SHOT IN PILOT

Cooper and Truman in the Sheriff's Vehicle
Pilot

Oddly, there is a recycled shot of the Sheriff’s vehicle in pursuit. Truman turns on his lights after spotting James and Donna.

Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department Vehicle
Pilot

The scene cuts to the Sheriff’s vehicle exiting the same gravel road as before but cuts before we see it drive across the Meadowbrook bridge.

FIRE WALK WITH ME CAMEO

Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me
Fire Walk With Me

Meadowbrook bridge makes a brief cameo in Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me when Agents Desmond and Stanley visit Carl Rodd.

Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me
Fire Walk With Me
Former home of Riverside Mobile Home Park
September 15, 2019

The view today is blocked by a row of trees at the former mobile home park.

PART 18 APPEARANCE

Richard/Cooper driving in Part 18
Part 18

The bridge makes one final appearance in Season 3 on Showtime when Richard/Cooper drives Carrie Page to the town of Twin Peaks.

I captured a similar nighttime video crossing Meadowbrook bridge.

Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Part 18
Meadowbrook bridge in Snoqualmie, Washington
September 15, 2019

The couple approaches the bridge at night.

Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
September 15, 2019

As the light turns green, they proceed forward.

Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
September 15, 2019
Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
January 25, 2020

Meadowbrook Way turns into Southeast Reinig Road as you exit the bridge.

Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - The Bridge in Pilot / Part 18
January 25, 2020

As they exit the bridge, you see the traffic light that controls access.

While this scene is the last time the bridge appears in Twin Peaks, my fingers remained crossed that we’ll return again one day.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top