This short video by Brandon filmmakers Graham Street, Shaun Cameron, and Nate Bower, hosted by Gordon Goldsborough and Morganna Malyon, explores the abandoned concrete arch highway bridge near Margaret, Manitoba.
Excellent information. I just rode by there yesterday on my motorcycle while exploring MB's gravel roads. I wish I had watched your video two days ago.
There is another similar bridge up on hwy 10 before the turn off into Duck Mountain at hwy 367 on the east side in a pasture. This bridge is also in a state of decay. These old bridges certainly had a beauty to them that is not found in modern Manitoba bridges.
I would love if you guys came to explore the section of wagon trail that lies upon my land. Was the old wagon trail which lead from Winnipeg, through the central prairies towards Brandon.
The second bridge is so much more beautiful than what we tend to do today by just putting in a bunch of soil and gravel, putting through pipes and calling it a day.
Actually a first generation bridge would have been built of stones and mortar, possible that pile of stones between the road and Margret bridge. It would have been for horse and carriage and not half as wide as a road bridge. Side note there was a large number or whistle stop towns that were once huge. I know of two. Giroux and glass. Giroux had three hotels, schools, stores, newspaper. What is now left of glass has an old gas station/shop and may not even have road signs anymore. About a mile away on a farm is the towns grainary/silo/elevator. Back till about 1960-70 farmer only had to haul their grains ten miles at most because that was how far apart the water and coal stops were for steam engines. There was also a canal that ran from about falcon lake to Winnipeg for logging. Not sure when it was. Part of the canal still exists in east Braintree.
Amazing the amount of physical work went into developing the country that most don’t appreciate. The $6000 bridge would now cost more than $6 million today?
The concrete used back in those days wasn't built with the same quality materials as it is now. You'll see this on any structures of this period till about the late '40's early '50's.
The earthen bridge with culverts doesn't even look like the water will flow unless at high water levels. The culverts grade looks to be too high for stream to flow. Wouldn't surprise me... This is how we do things in Manitoba.
It's shame that some form of preservation can't be undertaken to save, if not restore, those old pieces of history. You don't see that attention to detail in modern construction anymore.
