The CPR bridge in Lethbridge is a major tourist attraction and landmark. Standing for over 112 years. The bridge is as much a part of the City of Lethbridge as any other feature natural or man made.
Spanning the Lethbridge Oldman river valley. The bridge runs from the east to the west of the valley. The bridge was a major technological accomplishment of its time. Even today building the bridge would be a major project worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The economic benefits of the bridge are uncountable.
Being the largest railway structure in Canada it is the largest bridge of its type in the world. If you have ever stood at the base of the bridge and looked up it makes a person feel really small.
Employing a 100 man gang to build the bridge it went off almost without any issues. A few problems after the build with settlement of the bridge have been the only major issues.
Initially hauling freight and people the bridge is still used daily for freight runs but no longer for any type of passenger rail service. Once the CPR bridge in Lethbridge opened it allowed a much easier time in opening up the west and connecting Canada from west to east. Allowing farmers to move their crops to the west coast opened up markets that before this were not even thought about. Many communities across the Canadian prairies owe their being to the railway and the Lethbridge bridge.
Shop prints of the CPR Bridge in Lethbridge in my online store here
