The Covered Bridges of Nova Scotia

The Covered Bridges of Nova Scotia

Many people think that New Brunswick was the only province in
Atlantic Canada that used Covered Bridges.
However Nova Scotia had a number of these bridges.
It's too bad that none are left standing today.
The following is a few pictures of the ones that I have collected so far.
If anyone has other pictures you are invited to send them to me for
inclusion in this page.This page is just in the first stage and
I hope to have many more pictures of the Nova Scotia Covered Bridges
Please check back regularly.

If any of my visitors have pictures of Nova Scotia's Covered bridges
and would like them added please E Mail by clicking below

E Mail me by clicking here

Or copy and this address
johnmacdonald@summerville-novascotia.com

The Avon River Toll Bridge which burned in 1887. The 1887 date may not be correct but it was in this area. Old Windsor Toll Bridge Crossing the Avon River (Windsor, Nova Scotia), 187-? There is another picture on the West Hants Historical Society web page that shows this bridge was completed before 1836 and construction of an adjacent railway bridge in 1867; Falmouth is across the river in the background.

These two pictures were submitted by Hugh Muir

This bridge crossed the Avon River between Windsor and Falmouth.
It was built in 1836? and was a toll bridge. It was destroyed by fire in 1888??

Unknown Covered Bridge

This picture was submitted by Glenda Dean. She thinks it was taken in the 1940's somewhere between Pictou and Cumberland counties. I feel that it was someplace along the Northumberland Strait.
If any visitor to this site has and thing further on this please let me know.

The picture was taken by Logan Angevine who was from the Oxford area and lived in
Sunny Brae, Pictou County.

Aspen (Weeks) Covered Bridge

Pictures of the Aspen Bridge were provided by Blair Morrow

Aspen Covered Bridge Built approx.. 1878

Shubenacadie Covered Bridge 1905 This picture is Courtesy of Hants County, Nova Scotia GenWeb Project

Kennetcook Covered Bridge 1964

Kennetcook Covered Bridge 1957

Kennetcook Covered Bridge Year taken 1953

Kennetcook was the site of the last wooden covered bridge in Nova Scotia.
The bridge was almost 100 years old when it was removed in the early 1960

These pictures of the Kennetcook Covered Bridge were used with the
permission of Kennetcook Community Visions Society

Kennetcook Covered Bridge Year taken around 1940

This picture was submitted by Stephen White

Kennetcook Covered Bridge Year taken 1953
If I ever saw a Christmas Card Scene, this is it.

This picture was submitted by Stephen White

Avonport Covered Bridge This picture was submitted by James Custance

Avonport Covered Bridge

This picture was submitted by Don Cunningham and is from collection of George Colquhoun

Avonport Bridge (Gaspereau River)

Avonport Bridge (Gaspereau River)

The Avonport Bridge was on the old Route 1 between Windsor and
Wolfville crossing the Gaspereau River.
This was the most heavily traveled covered bridge in Nova Scotia.
It burned in the early 1950's and was replaced at that time with a Bailey Bridge.
In the early 1970's that was replaced by this new twin span steel bridge
when the new Highway 101 was built.

Avonport Bridge (Gaspereau River) in the early 1950's

This picture was submitted by Jon Archibald of Peterborough, Ontario
Jon thought the picture was taken in the early 50's

Avonport Bridge (Gaspereau River) This picture was submitted by James Custance

Avonport Bridge (Gaspereau River) 1954

This picture was submitted by Don Cunningham and is from collection of George Colquhoun

In this location stood the Port Williams Covered Bridge from 1835 to 1885

Bridgetown Covered Bridge 1907 This picture was submitted by James Custance

Bridgetown Covered Bridge

Bridgetown Covered Bridge This picture was submitted by James Custance

Brickton Covered Bridge

This picture was submitted by Nova Scotia - Memories of Days Gone By Linda Bent

Lawrencetown Covered Bridge This picture was submitted by James Custance

Dodge Road Covered Bridge, circa 1930's Annapolis Valley NS

This picture was submitted by Phil Coleman

Lawrencetown Lane Covered Bridge

The Lawrencetown Mill with the Lawrencetown Lane Covered Bridge The view is North into the Village on the old Trunk#1/Evangeline Trail from Lawrencetown Lane.

This picture was submitted by Phil Coleman

The Bayer's Covered Bridge.
This bridge was located on the Musquodoboit River just below Rolling's Mill.
This picture was taken around 1909

There were a number of other Covered Bridges in Nova Scotia.
The following is a partial list provided to me by Blair Morrow.

Cocamagon River on Highway 215
Milford
St.Croix
Stewiacke
Farmington (Milmot Area)
Sanster (Windsor Forks) Avon River #2

Text provided by Steven White

It is ironic that the first covered bridge built in Nova Scotia was the last one left standing.
The bridge was built in 1873 and torn down in 1967.
A petition was put before the government in 1860 to build a bridge over the Kennetcook River. A bridge was required to allow materials, such as cordwood and logs, to get to the shipyards in Noel and Selma. The petitioners raised $250 and asked the government for an additional $400 to build the bridge. A contract was eventually awarded to Henry Ward, of Riverside, to build the bridge. Mr. Ward was very industrious man; he was a magistrate, a master carpenter, and the local undertaker as well.
Timber for the bridge was cut locally and whip sawed into planks. Whip sawing was done by putting the logs on a rack; a pit was dug below. With one man on top of the rack, and the other in the pit, the logs were then hand sawn into planks with a large handsaw. The man in the pit had to wear a veil to keep the sawdust off his face. The men who done the whip sawing for the bridge were George and William White. The iron work for the bridge was done by Albro Ettinger and William Barron. They were two local blacksmiths. The iron was brought in one inch bars and was forged into the proper shapes and sizes. The forge was fired by charcoal that was produced locally from green hardwood. A Hemlock bark fire was used as a welding fire. Both burned very hot. The lumber for the roof and sides was sawn at a mill owned by Daniel Blois. The mill had one up and down saw and was very slow. Rock for the foundation was brought in from a quarry near the Gore, about five miles away.
Wages for working on the bridge were about forty-five cents a day. Some work was statute labor, meaning each person was required to offer a certain amount of work to the government each year.
The bridge was built with a crown in the middle, in order to prevent sagging. There were supposedly two reasons for the roof and sides on the bridge. On reason was to make it look like a barn so that animals would not be hesitant to cross it. The other reason was to protect the flooring. Since the original floorboards were not replaced until 1944, seventy-one years after the bridge was built. The roof and sides worked well.
In the early years, the bridge was lighted with a Kerosene lantern; this was lit at dark and usually burned out around midnight. This led to several accidents; one story is of Alfred White and Henry Ward Jr. running together with their horses and buggies inside the bridge. Mr. White’s horse was killed and Mr. Ward’s badly injured. Neither man was hurt in the accident. Over the years, the bridge switched to electrical lighting.
In the mid 1960’s, due to the size of the bridge, a drive was put on to have it removed and a new on put in its place. A “Bailey Bridge” was built on the downriver side of the covered bridge. The covered bridge was then torn down and the present bridge was built in its place. Some effort was made to save the bridge but lack of land to move it to and a thirty thousand-dollar price tag for the job stopped the salvation project.

Links

	Visit one of the most popular Covered Bridge sites on the web and the Number 1 Covered Bridge Site in Canada The Covered Bridges of New Brunswick Plus the Uncovered Bridges and the Covered Bridges that have been lost recently

Over 27,000 Pictures of old cars	John's Old Car and Truck Pictures

	The Old Railway Stations of Canada

	The building trades class at Darlington HS in Darlington, Wisconsin built this covered bridge for a local business man

	New York State Covered Bridge Society

	New Brunswick's Covered Bridges By George Cook

	New Brunswick Covered Bridges By Wayne Pond

	Jerry Barnes' Garden Railway, The SCRR

	Lilies From the Valley A Vast selection of Oriental and Asiatic previously cut commercially grown bulbs ready for shipment anywhere in Canada

	Our 1873 Home in Summerville Nova Scotia

	Sharon's Garden Watch it as it progress through the seasons from early spring to full summer bloom

	The Flowers from Sharon's Garden

	A Tour Around Summerville NS

	A Picture Tour of the Old Houses of Summerville NS All of these houses are at least 100 years old

	A Brief History of Summerville Including many old pictures of the area Many new pictures have been added

	The S. S. Rotundus sailed the Avon River from 1910 to 1936

	View the The Quarry Park at Kempt Shore One of Sally and Buddy's favorite places

	My favorite Dog pages

	Our Black Lab Sally Sally is one of the smartest dogs I have ever seen. You would be amazed at what she can do. Visit here favorite place and watch her play.

	It seems so long ago but Sally was a little puppy at one time

	And of Course Buddy Buddy is no dummy either. He's well behaved and does what he is told. Guess what, he just learned how to swim.

	For anyone that might be thinking of getting a dog this site is a must

	You thought you knew why but check this site and find the real reasons Why Dogs Don't use Computers

	Other popular sites

	Free Road Maps and Hundreds of Highway RV Travel Itineraries

	Something for the Home Builder

	Building our new back porch

	The porch project is finished View the project from the first digging to completion

	This shed was built using nothing but recycled products

	This fence was built using recycled pallets

A few Web Sites that may interest you

	Take a Hiking tour to Cape Split Nova Scotia Join Sharon, her sister Dianna and her husband Donnie and myself on a walking tour of Cape Split Nova Scotia. The scenery is breath taking.

	Hants County Nova Scotia GenWeb Project

	A Nova Scotia Snow Storm Hits Summerville

	Sailing New Brunswick

	And now on the humorous side


	Canoeing New Brunswick style


	How to Get a Jeep Really Stuck

If you have any questions or comments please Click here to E mail me