THE RED COVERED BRIDGE THAT ONCE WAS
THE RED BRIDGE. This Bridge got its name because after it's construction it was painted red and remained so for about twenty years. then it was painted gray. It spanned the Jacques Cartier River, not far from Al Corrigan’s. It was a covered wooden bridge. The residents of that area deserve a lot of credit for the erection of that bridge. They cut and hauled the logs themselves. The Provincial Government permitted them to cut the logs on some of the Government lots in the area. Jack Price contributed the sum of $lOOO.00 towards the cutting of the logs. The logs were piled on Al Corrigan's property. This was done during the winter of 1929-30. Al Corrigan built a saw-mill around that time to saw logs. this eliminated the task of hauling the logs to Lepire's mill in Valcartier Village, a distance of about six miles. Mr. Corrigan's mill was subsequently taken over by his son and was in operation until his son Gerald's death in 195h.
There is no record of the construction of this bridge in the Municipal books of St. Gabriel West. It seems to have been a grant from the Provincial Government secured by Ephrim Bedard, M. L. A. for the County of Quebec at the time. The only mention of the bridge in the municipal books at that time was a motion from which I quote:
NOVEMBER 2, 1931.
Excerpt from a general session of the Municipality of St. Gabriel West.
Moved by W. Smith, seconded by Edmund Corrigan, that this Council authorize Edmund Corrigan to get a sign for the new bridge at Albert Corrigan's with the member's name Ephram Bedard engraved on it, and have it placed on the end of said bridge .
Passed unanimously.
James Clark, Secretary-Treasurer.
The cost of building the bridge was: $8,500.00
The bridge burnt down in the summer of 1972. It is widely believed that the destruction of the bridge was the act of a criminal hand. A modern concrete and steel bridge now spans the river at the same location. It was built by the Provincial Government in 1975.
Source : Bernie Monaghan
From Patricia Balkcom's Website