J.D. Potié
PONTIAC June 17, 2019
On June 17, Canada Post unveiled five new stamps, each featuring a historic Canadian covered bridge, including Fort Coulonge’s very own Red Bridge.
According to a press release issued by Canada Post, the stamps served to pay homage to the bridge’s classic architecture, their importance in transportation in rural areas and to acknowledge them as iconic monuments in our nation’s countryside.
Displayed on one of the stamps with its iconic red cover, the Felix-Gabriel-Marchand Bridge is one of Quebec’s oldest standing bridges. Built in 1898, spanning 152 metres over the Coulonge River, it remains the longest covered bridge in Quebec, which is what prompted Canada Post to select it as one of the five featured bridges.
As the 19th century came to a close, nearly 1,500 covered bridges stood over various rivers, lakes and basins across Canada. Today, just around 140 are left.
The covers on top of the bridges served to preserve them from the rough Canadian elements and to prolong their lifespan.
In Quebec, where 1,000 covered bridges once graced the land, there are only around 80 left and the trend has been largely the same for other provinces.
The four other bridges depicted on the stamps were the Hartland Covered Bridge in New Brunswick, the Powerscourt Bridge in Quebec, the West Montrose Covered Bridge in Ontario and the Ashnola No. 1 Bridge in British Columbia.
The new stamps are available for purchase at your local Canada Post office.
