The Marchand bridge
The Marchand bridge, also known as the (red) covered bridge, was constructed in 1898 for $6000 by Mr. Augustus Brown of Beachburg , Ontario . January 3 rd , 1898 the contract was signed, March 15 th the bridge had to be in service and by May 1 st of 1898 the bridge had to be complete. Wood used to build the bridge was hauled by horse from ‘the glen' in Ontario via an ice bridge at Waltham , Quebec .
The bridge has withstood some trying times, and as a result, it has been through several restorations. In 1939 the cedar single roof was replaced with a tin roof.
In 1964 the bridge was in such poor state that it was threatened with demolition. Local residents Dr. H.R. Rabb, Mr. Hugh Proudfoot and Mr. Dean Rogers started an association to save the bridge. They secured federal and provincial grants and donations from private citizens. In 1966, with these funds, and the help of many volunteers, the rotted piers of the bridge were replaced; the bridge was raised, repaired and repainted so that it could be put back into use.
In 1972, with $50,000, they replaced the tin roof again and the wood siding along the bridge. The spring flooding caused a log jam near the bridge, interrupting the project temporarily. At the time, logs were still being floated down the Coulonge river. ‘Boom Timbers' were used to guide the logs through the gap under the bridge, where they were sorted. Fearing that the bride would be destroyed if the log jam gave way under the pressure of the water, steel cables were extended across the river to help retain the wood.
The bridge was in jeopardy in the spring of 1979, when an early thaw caused the water to rise suddenly. Unlike in 1972, there were no boom timbers to withhold the logs, which in turn created a huge log jam against the bridge since it was not elevated enough to let the logs by. The force of the water pushing on the wood caused the bridge to shift several feet and it was sitting dangerously on only two of its piers. To minimize structural damage, it was once again secured with steel cables, and timbers were installed inside the bridge. It was closed for more than a year. Work on the bridge was completed in 1980 and it was reopened for traffic.
In fall of 1997, all the piers for the bridge were again replaced; at a cost of $429,200 which was funded by the Quebec government.
As to the origin of the bridge name, opinions differ. Some believe that it is named in honor of the liberal deputy, M. Felix-Gabriel Marchand, others believe it was from a french word “ marche ”, meaning the walking bridge.
Presently, it is the longest covered bridge in Quebec , measuring 151.59m (497,3') in length and 5.56m (13'9') in width. It is constructed entirely of pine.
The Pont Marchand was officially declared a historical monument in 1989, by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Quebec.
Bryson House
The Bryson House was built in 1854 by Mr. George Bryson Sr. (1813-1900), a Scottish farmer and lumber merchant, mayor of Mansfield, Warden of the Pontiac County & Council Member, one of the Outaouais Valley pioneers.
This house is unique in the Pontiac and shows the typical features of the ones built in Lower and Upper Canada by Scottish merchants in the 1800's. A group of buildings attached to the main house and built around the courtyard; included the blacksmith' shop, the ice room, stables, barns and depots to shelter food supplies. The stone house on the southern part of these buildings was constructed around 1845 and used to accommodate the Bryson's company's office. The farm totaled 780 acres . George Bryson, a well-informed businessman, chose to run a farm along the Coulonge River as a compliment to his forestry enterprise. Products from the farm would be used to feed the forestry workers.
It is from these headquarters that George Bryson and his team dominated the economic activity of the Pontiac region during the 19 th century, and gave the great orientations for economic development of the 20 th century. The Bryson family owned the buildings until 1943. They were renovated in 1982.
Spruceholme
Spruceholme ( 204 Principale Street ) is the splendid former home of George Bryson Jr. and his wife Helen Craig. Built in 1875, this large stone mansion is said to have been the winter retreat of the Bryson family, who hosted many distinguished guests, including Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Prime Minister of Canada. Spruceholme is now home to a bed and breakfast.
George Bryson Jr., the original owner of Spruceholme, was the son of wealthy lumber baron George Bryson Sr. Following in the footsteps of his father, he represented Pontiac County in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, where he served for over fifty years.
Adjacent to Spruceholme ( 200 Principale Street ) is another splendid stone mansion. This house was once the home of John Bryson, another of George Bryson Sr.'s sons, and another distinguished politician.
A third stone house ( 224 Principale Street ) was built for a sister, Jennie Bryson.
PPJ Cycloparc
The PPJ Cycloparc is a bike path built on the former rail bed of the historic Pontiac Pacific Junction. The path crosses Pontiac County from Wyman (Bristol) to Isle aux Allumettes for a total of 91.7 km. The trail is relatively flat with elevations no greater than 4%, and is surfaced with crushed rock dust. Along the path are rest areas, signage and interpretive panels. The PPJ is non-motorized during the operational season of May to November, but functions as a snowmobile trail during the winter months.
There are many villages, area attractions and activities that can be enjoyed just off the bike path. Please visit www.cycloparcppj.org for more information and to plan your excursions on and around the PPJ cycle path.
- Wyman to Shawville = 17.26 km; Extraordinary views of the Ottawa River and lush farm lands
- Shawville to Campbell’s Bay = 18 km; A travel in the forests and valley
- Campbell’s Bay to Fort Coulonge = 17.7 km; Where prairie lands meets forest stands
- Fort Coulonge to Waltham = 18 km; The Ottawa River section
- L'Îles-aux-Allumettes = 19.7 km; Allumettes Island the combination of all
