COVERED BRIDGES OF THE SOUTHERN EASTERN TOWNSHIPS Text and Photography by Matthew Farfan

1) NAME: Guthrie Bridge (#61-45-01) RIVER: Groat Creek LOCATION: Pigeon Hill/Saint-Armand. 8 km (5 miles) N. of Canada-U.S. border at Morse’s Line on Rte. 235; then 2.5 km (1.6 miles) E. on Chevalier Rd. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 14.9 m (49 ft). Town lattice. 1845. NOTES: Shortest public covered bridge in Quebec

1. Newly painted in red. 2. A Town lattice structure. 3. The shortest public covered bridge in Quebec.

2) NAME: Des Rivières Bridge (#61-45-03) RIVER: Aux Brochets (Pike) LOCATION: 1.2 km (0.8 miles) S. of Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge; then W. for 1.6 km (1 mile). DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 41 m (136 ft). Howe truss. 1884. NOTES: One of only two Howe truss bridges left in Quebec.

1. Afternoon shadows. 2. A Howe truss.

3) NAME: Freeport Bridge (#61-45-02) RIVER: Yamaska LOCATION: Cowansville. At Jct. of Rtes. 104 & 139, turn E. on Rivière Rd. for 0.4 km (0.25 miles); then N. at the MacDonald’s for 1 km (0.6 miles) on Bell Rd. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 29 m (96 ft). Town lattice. c.1870. NOTES: Stepped-back portals. Sway braces.

1. Stepped-back portals and sway braces at each end.

4) NAME: Balthazard Bridge (#61-11-01) RIVER: Yamaska LOCATION: 4 km (2.5 miles) W. of Adamsville on Magenta Place Rd.; then 0.2 km (0.1 miles) N. on Léger Rd. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 27 m (88 ft). Town lattice. 1932. NOTES: Picturesque spot with rapids.

1. During a snowstorm.

5) NAME: Decelles Bridge (#61-11-02) RIVER: Yamaska LOCATION: 1.6 km (1 mile) E. of Adamsville on Choinière Rd.; then 0.2 km (0.1 miles) N. on Fortin Rd. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 32.3 m (106 ft). Town lattice. 1938. NOTES: River floods regularly at this spot.

1. During winter.

6) NAME: Province Hill (de la Frontière) Bridge (#61-11-03) RIVER: Mud Creek LOCATION: 0.3 km (0.2 miles) E. of Mansonville on Vale Perkins St.; then 5 km (3.1 miles) S. on Bellevue Rd. to Jct. of Pont Couvert Rd.; adjacent to the newer bridge. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 31 m (102 ft). Town lattice. 1896. NOTES: Bypassed. Located high above a creek on what is now a dead-end road, near a former border crossing. Sway braces. This bridge is similar to some of the covered bridges in northern Vermont.

1. Bypassed. 2. But not forgotten. 3. Sway brace. 4. Town lattice and half-open siding. 5. Wooden cribwork abutments.

7) NAME: Cousineau Bridge (#61-66-02) RIVER: Brandy Creek LOCATION: 0.8 km (0.5 miles) N. of Valcourt on Rte. 222; then 0.2 km (0.1 miles) E. on private road. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 14 m (46 ft). Town lattice. c.1888. NOTES: *Private bridge with a gate. Unusual shape.

1. A very private bridge.

8) NAME: Narrows Bridge (#61-69-03) RIVER: Fitch Bay Narrows, Lake Memphremagog LOCATION: 3.2 km (2 miles) SW. of Fitch Bay village, at Jct. of Rte. 247. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 28 m (92 ft). Town lattice. 1881. NOTES: Bypassed. Picnic tables on site. Canada Customs sign warning boaters to report if they have crossed the border. One of only 2 covered bridges in Quebec to span part of a lake. Picturesque setting, especially during autumn.

1. An splendid sight during autumn. 2. The Narrows, c.1910. (Photo: Farfan Collection)

9) NAME: Drouin Bridge (#61-18-01) RIVER: Coaticook LOCATION: 2.4 km (1.5 miles) N. of Compton; then W. 1.3 km (0.8 miles) on Drouin Rd. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 29.8 m (98 ft). Multiple Kingpost truss. 1886. NOTES: Bypassed. 1 of only 3 remaining Kingpost covered bridges in Quebec. The focus of a restoration campaign in recent years.

1. November. 2. Sagging has been halted with steel reinforcements. 3. After a wash-out.

10) NAME: Milby Bridge (#61-67-03) RIVER: Moe LOCATION: 4.8 km (3 miles) SE. of Jct of Rtes. 108 & 147; on E. side of Rte. 147 at Milby village. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 23 m (75 ft). Town lattice. 1873. NOTES: Nearby is the historic Little Hyatt Schoolhouse and St. Barnabas Church.

1. Fall colours.

11) NAME: Eustis Bridge (#61-18-02) RIVER: Massawippi LOCATION: 6.4 km (4 miles) NE. of North Hatley; then S. at Eustis on Paquette Rd. for 0.8 km (0.5 miles). DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 27.4 m (90 ft). Multiple Kingpost truss. 1908. NOTES: Major repairs in 1997. 1 of only 3 remaining Kingpost covered bridges in Quebec. Annual spring flooding. Bridge is virtually all that remains of the once thriving mining town of Eustis, now a “ghost town.”

1. From the road above. 2. From the Eustis side. 3. A Multiple Kingpost truss. 4. Original tree knees alternate with modern corner braces. 5. Major repairs, 1997.

12) NAME: Capelton Bridge (#61-67-02) RIVER: Massawippi LOCATION: 0.8 km (0.5 miles) W. of Rte. 143, on S. side of Rte. 108 at Capelton village. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 35 m (115 ft). Town lattice with Multiple Kingpost truss added. 1862. NOTES: Bypassed. Unusually large knee braces (“tree knees”) and “watershed” siding, which directs rain away from the structure. Adjacent to the site of the old Capelton Mines, now a tourist attraction. A bicycle path on the former rail bed is also nearby.

1. Late fall. 2. From the Massawippi River. 3. The railroad has since been replaced with a bike path. 4. A massive tree knee.

13) NAME: John Cook Bridge (#61-18-04) RIVER: Eaton LOCATION: 0.5 km (0.3 miles) N. of Cookshire, on east side of Rte. 253. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 40.5 m (133 ft). Town lattice. Prob. 1868. NOTES: Bypassed. Bridge is part of a local trail network.

1. Interpretive signs and a lookout.

14) NAME: McDermott Bridge (#61-18-06) RIVER: North Eaton LOCATION: 6.8 km (4.2 miles) E. of Cookshire on Rte. 212; then 1.3 km (0.8 miles) S. on McDermott Rd. DESCRIPTION: 1 span. 34.1 m (112 ft). Multiple Kingpost truss. 1886. NOTES: Stepped-back portals. 1 of only 3 remaining Kingpost covered bridges in Quebec.

1. Late fall. 2. Stepped-back portals.

15) NAME: McVetty-McKerry Bridge (#61-18-08) RIVER: Au Saumon (Salmon) LOCATION: 3.7 km (2.3 miles) NW. of Gould along road to Weedon. DESCRIPTION: 2 spans. 62.7 m (206 ft). Town lattice. 1893. NOTES: Bypassed. Half-open siding, similar to bridges in northern New Hampshire. Very beautiful structure.

1. Unusual portal. 2. Masonry abutments. 3. A two-span bridge.

Additional caption: Directional signs like this are a common sight near Quebec’s covered bridges.

**Numbers in parentheses are those used in The World Guide to Covered Bridges.