Hillsborough Bridge (1902) construction fonds
- CA PCA Acc4190
- Fonds
- 1901-1903
The fonds consists of some 33 photographs taken during the construction of the Hillsborough bridge in 1901- 1903. There are also two railway photographs. Photographer is unknown.
On 18 April 1900 an agreement was signed between the federal and provincial governments for the construction of a railway and carriage bridge across the Hillsborough River, Prince Edward Island. This was to constitute part of the Murray Harbour Branch of the P.E.I. Railway and would allow people east of Charlottetown an option other than travelling by ferry to and from Charlottetown or by road around Mount Stewart. Construction was begun in the spring of 1901 by M. J. Haney of Toronto under a detail contract. Twelve spans of steel bridgework were dismantled from a bridge near Derby Junction Station on the Miramichi in New Brunswick and eleven were re-erected and set on newly constructed piers to sit 15 feet above the high water line. The fifth span was a draw span which opened and closed for navigation on the river. In the late 1950's concern mounted that the bridge was growing too old to support the increasing traffic and it was closed for a brief period of time to the intense dismay of Islanders. Although it was reopened, it was soon after replaced by the current bridge in 1961 and was dismantled in 1963. The piers however were never dismantled and are still visible from the new bridge.
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