West Montrose covered bridge, Grand River, ON

After we left St. Jacobs, Gord saw a sign for a covered bridge so we went to find it.

And there it is at the end of this road.

This is the West Montrose covered bridge ... we walked through it.

The West Montrose covered bridge is recognized as a historic site by Ontario's Archeological & Historic Sites Board. It is Ontario's last remaining covered bridge and has a 198' span across the Grand River.

Why a covered bridge? The answer to this is for safety and economic reasons. A roof over the bridge served to protect the large timbers and trusses from the elements; and this is the reason the bridge is still standing after more than 100 years. Uncovered wooden bridges have a life span of only 10 to 15 years because exposure to rain causes unprotected joints to rot in summer and freeze in the winter; the hot sun causes the wooden planks to dry and curl.

The bridge was built in 1881 and underwent major repairs in 1999. Light traffic is still crossing the bridge daily and many horse and buggies cross on Sundays. The bridge is often referred to as "The Kissing Bridge" because it is enclosed and the soft light provides a feeling of intimacy for the romantic.



This was on the lawn on a house on the other side of bridge. When you take a pop or water, you put the $$ in a locked box on the sign. Trusting or what?!

Here's inside the bridge.

Once we got back to the other side, a Mennonite family drove through ...

And went to the store not far away.

They were then joined by four kids.