The Petawawa area is defined by its rivers. The Petawawa River, one of the most significant tributaries of the Ottawa, flows through the heart of the region. The Barron River, the Bonnechere, and dozens of smaller streams and creeks add to the network. Where there are rivers, there are bridges, and the bridges of the Petawawa area tell the story of the region's development as clearly as any written history.
The oldest bridges in the area were built for the lumber industry and the early settlers. They were practical structures, designed to get people, horses, and wagons across the water with a minimum of expense. Some were simple log structures that washed out every spring and were rebuilt. Others were more substantial affairs of stone, timber, and eventually steel. Many of the bridges that survive today date to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, a period of intensive road building in the Ottawa Valley.
Steel Truss Bridges
The most common historic bridge type in the Petawawa area is the steel truss bridge. Dozens of these bridges were built across the valley's rivers from the 1880s through the 1940s, and many are still in service on county and township roads. They are distinctive structures: lattices of steel beams forming a geometric pattern over the roadway, often painted silver or green, usually narrow enough that only one vehicle can cross at a time.
Several steel truss bridges in the Petawawa area have been replaced by modern structures but remain standing beside their replacements, either preserved as pedestrian bridges or simply left in place because it was cheaper than demolishing them. These redundant bridges are excellent subjects for photography and provide a clear visual comparison between the engineering of different eras.
The county roads south and west of Petawawa, toward Eganville and the Madawaska Highlands, have some of the best-preserved truss bridges in the valley. These roads see relatively light traffic, and the bridges have been maintained rather than replaced. Some of them are over a century old and still carrying vehicles every day.
A steel truss bridge of the type common throughout the Ottawa Valley, built to last and still in service decades after construction.
Stone and Concrete Bridges
Stone arch bridges are rare in the Petawawa area, but not unknown. The region's early builders had access to excellent building stone, and a few stone bridges from the settlement era survive. These are typically small structures over creeks and small streams, often on roads that have been realigned so that the bridge now serves only local traffic or has been bypassed entirely.
Concrete bridges became common in the early twentieth century and many of these are now showing their age. Some have been replaced. Others remain in service with weight restrictions. The early concrete bridges often have decorative railings and date stamps that make them easy to identify and date.
Abandoned Rail Bridges
The abandoned rail lines that pass through the Petawawa area include several bridge sites. Rail bridges were engineered to heavier standards than road bridges, and their remains are often more substantial. Steel rail bridges, where they survive, are impressive structures. Where the bridge has been removed, the stone or concrete abutments remain, standing sentinel on either side of the crossing.
The former rail lines in the area crossed the Petawawa River and its tributaries at several points, and the remnants of these crossings are among the most photogenic ruins in the region. The abutments, often built of massive cut stone, are clearly engineered to support the weight of loaded freight trains and will likely outlast everything else in the area.
Bridges and History
Bridges are useful landmarks for understanding how the area has developed over time. A bridge that seems overbuilt for its current road may indicate a former highway alignment. A bridge abutment standing alone in the forest marks a road or rail line that no longer exists. The style and materials of a bridge can date it to a specific era of construction.
The hidden history of Petawawa includes stories connected to many of the area's bridges. Lumber drives used the rivers as highways, and the bridges built to cross those rivers had to accommodate both road traffic and the massive log booms that floated past every spring. Some bridges bear the marks of this dual use, with reinforced piers and extra clearance designed to let the logs pass underneath.