About: History & Tradition

Thanks for stopping by. I’m Mike, the proprietor of Swing Bridge Leather Works LLC, an independent leather shop located along the banks of the Connecticut River in beautiful East Haddam, Connecticut.

I’ve been working with traditional craft for nearly two decades, ever since high school, and I have a deep appreciation for the skill, patience, and time it takes to truly learn a trade. Even after all these years, I’m still learning, refining, and improving with every piece I make.

The name Swing Bridge comes from the historic East Haddam Swing Bridge — an iconic feat of engineering and workmanship. As a professional historian raised in a blue‑collar, hands‑on family, that bridge represents everything I want my leather goods to embody: beauty, function, toughness, and a connection to history and tradition.