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Documenting North America's past & present covered bridges

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Irish River #1 or Vaughan Creek #1, Saint John County

If you find errors in the data please contact Bill Caswell.

If you would like to provide information on covered bridges that no longer exist from your state, or adopt a state to work on, we would certainly welcome your assistance. Please contact Trish Kane for more information.

Inventory Number: NB/55-11-05
County: Saint John County
Township: St. Martins
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Irish River #1 or Vaughan Creek #1
Crosses: Vaughan Creek (Irish River)
Truss type: Howe
Spans: 1
Length: 78', 24m
Roadway Width:
Built: 1935
Builder:
When Lost: 27 Sep 2021
Cause: Razed
Latitude: N45 21.534
Longitude: W065 31.931
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 1.5 miles (2.3 km) west of NB111 on Main St., then 320 feet (100 m) right on right side of Big Salmon River Rd.

If you have a photo of this bridge, please contact us.

Comments:
Twin to NB/55-11-06. St. Martins iconic Vaughan Creek #1 covered bridge was constructed in 1935. A sidewalk was added in 1986. When plans were announced to replace it, a campaign was started to try to save the bridge. A rally held in June 2018 brought widespread media attention to the bridge. Although the public interest couldn’t stop the heritage structure from being razed, it did affect a design change. Initially the new structure was proposed to be a 2-lane steel bridge with a wooden housing to look like a covered bridge. Ultimately, that was changed to a modern timber bridge which was opened to traffic on August 11, 2022. The official opening was held on September 1, 2022.

Source:
New Brunswick Travel Bureau. Covered Bridges of New Brunswick (Canada), undated (mid 1950s), page 22