Victoria Bridge, Montreal

The Victoria Bridge at Montreal, Quebec is the name for the first bridge spanning the St. Lawrence River and remains in use to this day, carrying both road and rail traffic. The Victoria Bridge was opened in 1859 and was initially named the Jubilee Bridge in honour of Queen Victoria but eventually came to be known as the Victoria Bridge (Pont Victoria in French). Victoria Bridge The City of Montréal is the owner of the Official Old Montréal Web site. ... Victoria Bridge The City of Montréal is the owner of the Official Old Montréal Web site. ... This article needs cleanup. ... During the 1960s, a terrorist group known as the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) launched a decade of bombings, robberies and attacks on government offices. ... The Saint Lawrence River (French fleuve Saint-Laurent) is a large west-to-east flowing river in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ... 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ...

The Victoria Bridge is a key historic structure, one still actively used by the Canadian National Railway on its Halifax-Montreal main line, and remains a major contributor to Montreal's role as a continental hub in the North American rail system. Prior to the building of the bridge it was difficult and at times impossible to cross the St. Lawrence during the long winter season as there would be a freeze up as well as a thawing in the fall and spring. During the summer the crossings of the river had to take place by boat and in winter it was accomplished by sleigh. Missing image Canadian National Railways logo or herald (used pre-1960) Missing image Network Map of Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway (CN; AAR reporting marks CN, CNA, CNIS), known as Canadian National Railways (CNR) between 1918 and 1960, and Canadian National/Canadien National (CN) from 1960 to present... Halifax redirects here. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere, bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west... The Golden Gate Bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a gorge, valley, road, railroad track, river, body of water, or any other physical obstacle. ... Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Winter, 1573. ... Autumn colours at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, England. ... Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Spring, 1573. ... Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Summer, 1573. ...

The Victoria Bridge, built between 1854 and 1859, was inaugurated by the Prince of Wales in 1860. The building of the bridge was tied directly with the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway, a system headquartered in Britain, which had been formed in 1852 with the support of the colonial government of the United Province of Canada to connect the Great Lakes with an ice-free port on the Atlantic at Portland, Maine. Grand Trunk Railway logo or herald The Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) was a historic railway system headquartered in Montreal, Quebec which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... Location in Maine Founded  -Incorporated 1786  {{{incorporated}}} County Cumberland County Mayor Area  - Total  - Water 136. ...

Victoria Bridge under construction

James Hodges (1814-1879), was the chief engineer for the bridge's construction. The bridge, approximately 5 km (3 miles) long, includes 24 ice-breaking piers. The original deck was a long structural metal tube made of prefabricated sections from England and designed by Robert Stephenson, son of the builder of the famed Rocket locomotive. This landmark was completed in the year 1859 and during its peak construction years six steamboats, 72 barges, 3040 men (of which there were several children between the ages of 8-12), 144 horses, and four locomotive engines were required to erect the bridge at a cost of $6,600,000. Queen Victoria had been invited to attend the opening of the bridge, however, she declined the invitation and instead sent her eldest son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and heir to her throne. This was the first visit of a royal prince to a British colony in Canada. Image File history File links The Victoria Bridge under construction, c. ... Image File history File links The Victoria Bridge under construction, c. ... For the lighthouse engineer see Robert Stevenson Statue of Robert Stephenson at Euston Station, London Robert Stephenson FRS (October 16, 1803 - October 12, 1859) was an English civil engineer. ... In the Science Museum, London Stephensons Rocket was an early steam locomotive of 0-2-2 wheel arrangement, built by George and Robert Stephenson in 1829. ... 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... His Majesty King Edward VII (Albert Edward von Wettin) (9 November 1841–6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ...

In 1897-1898, the metal tube from 1860 was replaced by metal trusses, common at the time. To minimize traffic disruptions, the trusses were assembled around the tube, while the tube continued to carry train traffic. The tube was then demolished. The stone piers from 1860, slightly altered in 1897, still testify to the excellent original engineering. Truss bridge for a single track railway, converted to pedestrian use and pipeline support. ... 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

The St. Lambert Diversion, around the St. Lambert Locks, was added in the 1960's as part of the St. Lawrence Seaway project. The Saint Lawrence Seaway in its broadest sense is the system of canals that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes as far as Lake Superior. ...

Victoria Bridge as it appeared in 1898

Victoria Bridge, 1898 Copyright expired. ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Irish Stone

When the bridge was being built the workmen discovered human remains of Irish immigrants to Canada who had fled the famine in Ireland in 1847-8. Unfortunately many of these immigrants had died of typhus when they arrived in Canada. At the bridge approach there is a stone that has become known as "The Irish Stone" with the following inscription:

"To preserve from descration the remains of 6000 immigrants who died of ship fever A.D.1847-8 this stone is erected by the workmen of Messrs. Peto, Brassey and Betts employed in the construction of the Victoria Bridge A.D.1859."

See also

• List of bridges
• List of Montreal bridges

The List of bridges is a link page for any bridge. ... This is a list of bridges and other fixed links serving Montreal, Quebec, on the Island of Montreal, proceeding counter-clockwise around the island from the southwest. ...

External links

• The Victoria Bridge — Virtual Exhibit (requires Flash plugin)