Powerscourt Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Powerscourt Covered Bridge, alternately known as the "Percy Covered Bridge" spans the Chateauguay River, between the municipalities of Elgin
and Hinchinbrooke, in SouthWest Quebec
.
. This extremely strong wooden truss was, until then, used only in the construction of railroad bridges across North America.
With the advent of steel replacing wood in railroad bridge construction in the second half of the 19th Century, all wooden railroad bridges were gradually replaced by steel ones. As it was not a railroad bridge, the Percy bridge remains to this day as an anomaly, and is the sole McCallum truss bridge left in the world.
It is the oldest covered bridge in Canada
. Built only a year or so after the Victoria Bridge
in Montreal, the Percy bridge, unlike the Victoria, still retains its original shape, its original architecture, and indeed most of its original materials to this day. Using these criteria, it may be argued that the Percy bridge is the oldest bridge in Canada, covered or otherwise.
The unique curved roof line over the arched trusses distinguishes it from all other covered bridges.
Elgin, Quebec
-About Elgin:Elgin is a rural municipality of less than 500 people in Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 458. It is located southwest of Huntingdon and bounded by the Trout and Chateauguay rivers and the Québec - US border...
and Hinchinbrooke, in SouthWest Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Overview
A road bridge (now open only to light automotive traffic), it was constructed in 1861, and employs the McCallum inflexible arched truss, developed by Daniel McCallumDaniel McCallum
Daniel Craig McCallum was a railroad engineer and manager.McCallum was born in Scotland in 1815. In 1822 his family emigrated to New York when he was still a boy. In Rochester he spend a few years at elementary school, and didn't follow his fathers footsteps to become a tailor...
. This extremely strong wooden truss was, until then, used only in the construction of railroad bridges across North America.
With the advent of steel replacing wood in railroad bridge construction in the second half of the 19th Century, all wooden railroad bridges were gradually replaced by steel ones. As it was not a railroad bridge, the Percy bridge remains to this day as an anomaly, and is the sole McCallum truss bridge left in the world.
It is the oldest covered bridge in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Built only a year or so after the Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge (Montreal)
Victoria Bridge , formerly originally known as Victoria Jubilee Bridge, is a bridge over the St. Lawrence River, linking Montreal, Quebec, to the south shore city of Saint-Lambert....
in Montreal, the Percy bridge, unlike the Victoria, still retains its original shape, its original architecture, and indeed most of its original materials to this day. Using these criteria, it may be argued that the Percy bridge is the oldest bridge in Canada, covered or otherwise.
Recognition
The bridge was also named an Historic Monument of Quebec in 1987.Construction Details
The Powerscourt Covered Bridge is the only McCallum Inflexible Arched Truss bridge extant in the world.The unique curved roof line over the arched trusses distinguishes it from all other covered bridges.
See also
- Daniel McCallumDaniel McCallumDaniel Craig McCallum was a railroad engineer and manager.McCallum was born in Scotland in 1815. In 1822 his family emigrated to New York when he was still a boy. In Rochester he spend a few years at elementary school, and didn't follow his fathers footsteps to become a tailor...
, designer of the McCallum Truss - Elgin, QuebecElgin, Quebec-About Elgin:Elgin is a rural municipality of less than 500 people in Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 458. It is located southwest of Huntingdon and bounded by the Trout and Chateauguay rivers and the Québec - US border...
- List of bridges in Canada