Skip to main content

Florenceville Bridge - Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick

 


The Florenceville Bridge is a combination of a four steel truss spans and a Howe truss designed covered bridge that crosses the Saint John River in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, which is also known as the French Fry Capital of the World due to its association with the McCain Foods company. The covered bridge portion of the bridge is 154 feet (roughly 47 meters) long and links the eastern and western shores of Florenceville. But when you account for the four steel truss spans, the length of the bridge is closer to 1000 feet.

The original bridge was built by Albert Brewer, the same builder who constructed the Hartland Covered Bridge just downstream along the Saint John River. Prior to the construction of the original bridge in 1885, movement of people and goods between the east and west sides of Florenceville were dependent on ferry travel. The first post office and the commercial section of the village were situated on the west side of the river, but over time, the town's central business district gradually migrated to the east side of the Saint John River. The construction of the bridge signified the need to cross the river frequently and that the traffic demand became greater than the ferry was able to accommodate Construction on the original bridge started in 1882, and even before the bridge could be opened, three of the five spans were destroyed by an ice freshet. The present Florenceville Bridge was built in 1911 and is located on the site of the original 1885 bridge, which was destroyed by fire.

The bridge has also been designated for its architectural and historical value as one of New Brunswick's covered bridges. While the bridge is now only partially covered, the bridge was once covered on both ends. The western portions of the covered spans of the bridge were destroyed in a fire in 1932 and those spans were replaced with steel trusses. Fortunately the easternmost span of the bridge was able to remain as a covered span. I feel this adds to the uniqueness of the Florenceville Bridge. Today, you can see the bridge by taking a stroll down the main street in Florenceville-Bristol. When I visited, the bridge was closed to traffic, but presumably you can normally drive across this bridge as well.







 
How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Canada's Historic Bridges - Florenceville Bridge
Covered Spans of Yesteryear - Florenceville, Carleton County
Terry E. Miller, Ronald G. Knapp - America's Covered Bridges: Practical Crossings, Nostalgic Icons

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

When did people begin to refer to the "Ridge Route" as "The Grapevine?" (former US Route 99 and Interstate 5)

The segment of US Route 99 from Los Angeles north to Bakersfield was traditionally known in State Highway documents as the "Ridge Route."  Even as the Ridge Route was transitioning from curvy mountain grade to the facility now occupied by Interstate 5nthe name largely persisted in California Highways & Public Works documents.  During modern times the name "Ridge Route" has be usurped in popular lexicon in favor to the nickname known as "The Grapevine."  This blog will attempt to decipher the origins of "The Grapevine" and how it came into popular use today.  Featured as the blog cover photo is a view of Interstate 5 in Grapevine Canyon and former US Route 99 at Deadman's Curve of the Ridge Route. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Note:

US Route 101 in Benbow, Garberville and Redway

The communities of Benbow, Garberville and Redway can all be found along US Route 101 within southern Humboldt County.  The former surface alignment of US Route 101 in Garberville and Redway once crossed the Garberville Bluffs along what is now Redwood Drive via a corridor constructed as part of the Redwood Highway during the 1910s.  US Route 101 through Benbow, Garberville and Redway was modernized by 1935.  US Route 101 would eventually be upgraded to freeway standards in Benbow, Garberville and Redway by extension of the Redwood Freeway during 1966-68.  As the cover photo the original grade of US Route 101 and the Redwood Highway can be seen at the Garberville Bluffs during 1934.  US Route 101 can be seen in the communities of Benbow, Garberville and Redway on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Humboldt County .   The history of US Route 101 in Benbow, Garberville and Redway Benbow, Garberville and Redway lie on the banks of the South Fork Eel River of southern Humboldt County.  D

Legend of the Ridge Route; a history of crossing the mountains between the Los Angeles Basin and San Joaquin Valley from wagon trails to Interstates

Over the past two decades I've crossed the Interstate 5 corridor from Los Angeles north over the Sierra Pelona Mountains and Tehachapi Range to San Joaquin Valley what seems to be an immeasurable number of times.  While Interstate 5 from Castaic Junction to Grapevine via Tejon Pass today is known to most as "The Grapevine" it occupies a corridor which has been traversed by numerous historic highways.  The most notable of these highways is known as the "Ridge Route."  This article is dedicated to the Ridge Route and the various highways that preceded it.  This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Ridge Route corridor introdution The Ridge Route as originally envisioned was a segment of highway which was completed in 1915 between the northern Los Angeles city limit