West Montrose Covered Bridge Winter

This historic covered bridge is quite beautiful in winter with the red wood, blue sky and white frozen river. Situated over the Grand River Ontario, in West Montrose, is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Canada. Locals driving their horse and buggy rigs began to call the structure the "kissing bridge": a kiss (in relative privacy inside the bridge) was required as a toll to cross it. Built in 1880–1881 mostly of oak and white pine by John Bear, it can still be used by pedestrians, buggy traffic and vehicles weighing less than three tonnes for crossing the Grand River. The bridge's original design was described as a "two-span hybrid Howe truss" or as a "hybrid Queen Post – Howe timber configuration." The primary modifications during restorations added concrete and steel parts to strengthen the aging structure. However, the current visible form of the bridge remains true to the original design. The West Montrose Covered Bridge was designated as a Provincial Historic Site in August 1960.