West Montrose Covered Bridge

 

One of the things I was looking forward to on my drive to this week's crafting retreat was making a small detour to the West Montrose Covered Bridge - also known as the Kissing Bridge.

The bridge is only a short distance away from where we're staying. It is in Woolwich Township, right in the heart of Ontario's Mennonite country. Unfortunately, this wasn't meant to be the visit I had planned.

The West Montrose Covered Bridge has stood over the Grand River since 1881. Designed by local bridge builder John Bear and constructed by John and Benjamin Bear, it is the last remaining covered bridge in Ontario. The bridge was enclosed for a practical reason rather than a romantic one. The roof and wooden siding protected the heavy timber structure from rain, snow, and sun, allowing it to survive for well over a century while most uncovered wooden bridges disappeared long ago.

Many people know it by its nickname - the Kissing Bridge. Legend has it that the privacy inside the covered bridge made it the perfect place for a quick kiss before emerging into the daylight again. Whether every story is true or not, it's a nickname that has certainly endured through the generations.

The bridge feels perfectly at home in Woolwich Township, an area well known for its Old Order Mennonite community. Mennonite families began settling here in the mid-1800s, drawn by the fertile farmland and the opportunity to build close-knit farming communities. Today, horse and buggy travel remains part of everyday life for many families, and it's not unusual to share the road with a buggy on your way through the countryside. 

The bridge is currently closed to both vehicles and pedestrians while important restoration work is being completed.  Thankfully, some places leave such lasting memories that you don't mind revisiting them through old photographs.

The photos I'm sharing in this post were taken on previous trips through the area. The photo below happens to be one of my favourites as I stood and waited on one end of the bridge until a horse and buggy approached. Just as it reached the entrance, a Mennonite woman came into view on the bridge creating one of those simple moments that perfectly captures the character of this beautiful part of Ontario. 

One of the things I love most about this area isn't just the bridge itself. It's the slower pace of life. Rolling farmland, roadside produce stands, neatly kept farms, and the occasional horse and buggy all remind me that there are still places where life moves at its own pace, and life seems simpler.

Although I wasn't able to stop this time, I'm happy the bridge is being restored. Historic landmarks like this deserve to be preserved so future generations can enjoy them just as we have.

I'll simply have to add another visit to the list.

After all, some places are worth returning to again and again.