Old Wildwood Bridge

Beginning in 1910, 1he company town (now called the Townsite) for the Powell River pulp and paper mill was built on the southeast side of the Powell River. On the other side of the river were thick woods and few people. At first, boats and rafts had to be used to traverse the river. But in 1916, a bridge was built to provide better access for shingle mill operations and residents living on the other side. An article in Powell River Magazine chronicles the development of Wildwood.

Supports for the old Wildwood Bridge are still visible in the river. This picture of the old bridge is from the Powell River Museum archives. When the BC government offered 40-60 acre homesteads for pre-emption in 1914, settlement across the river increased. Many Italian immigrants chose to live in Wildwood and developed a close knit farming community that remains today.

The bridge may be gone, but the strong supports endure.

Powell River is only 500 metres long, running from the bottom of Powell Lake to the paper mill's dam that was built in 1910. Here you can see the river widen into the bottom of Powell Lake with the Shinglemill (Powell Lake) Marina on the left.

For more bridges from all over, head on over to San Francisco Bay Daily Photo, the home of Sunday Bridges. -- Margy