V is for Vespra Crossing: ABC Wednesday

I learned only last summer of this beautiful old, arched, stone railroad bridge that crosses the Little Yoho Stream at Vespra, Sunbury County, NB. It probably would have been built circa 1868 -69 when the old European and North American Railway line was being built between South Bay, NB to the border at St. Croix, NB and Vanceboro, Maine. Built of stone, in the time period before bridges were made of iron and steel, the keystone, seen at the center top of the arch, held the bridge together, making these stone bridges very strong. I doubt if this beautiful arched bridge is visited often for it was not that easy to access. First we had walked down the railroad tracks but as the top of it is just appears as a flat railroad bed a person could very well not even know it was there, but even though we knew it was there, the embankments were too steep to descend.

Determined to find a way in, we returned to the highway and found where it crossed the Little Yoho Stream. As it was during the dryness of August, last summer, we were able to walk the distance, up the very dry stream bed to the arched bridge. The distance wasn't great and it was well worth the trek. Upon our return we could view the more modern version of a corregated steel arch that is under the highway where it crosses the Little Yoho Stream.

My appreciation and thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place for hosting ABC Wednesday.