Montrose Covered Bridge was built in 1880–1881 mostly of oak and white pine by John Bear. He had previously built barns, the total cost to the Township of Woolwich was $3,197.50.
The structure can still be used by pedestrians, buggy traffic and vehicles weighing less than three tones for crossing the Grand River. Since 1998, it has been owned and maintained by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo.

Why The Kissing Bridge?

Kissing Bridge, a moniker that captured the charm and romance of a bygone era. As dusk settled over the woodlands and the golden hues of sunset bathed the bridge, it was a favorite spot not only for crossing but also for couples seeking a moment of intimacy beneath its towering eaves. It was said that lovers who paused to kiss while traversing the bridge would be granted a lifetime of happiness together—a delightful superstition that entwined with the laughter and love of countless heartwarming tales.

Originally known as the Montrose Covered Bridge, the quaint structure was ingeniously designed by John Bear, an artisan whose expertise transformed simple timber into a refuge for over a century. Built from sturdy oak and delicate white pine, this fixture of the Township of Woolwich has endured the test of time, resilient against the elements and rich with stories of those who have journeyed across.

Its durability not only reflects Bear’s craftsmanship but speaks to its ongoing importance. Since the Regional Municipality of Waterloo took ownership in 1998, the bridge has been lovingly cared for, allowing not just pedestrians and horse-drawn buggies, but also vehicles meeting the strict weight requirements, to cross the Grand River with a sense of nostalgia.

Locals driving their horse and buggy rigs began to call the structure the “kissing bridge”: a kiss (in relative privacy inside the bridge) was required as a toll to cross it.

The West Montrose Covered Bridge was designated as a Provincial Historic Site in August 1960. In 2018, the structure was one of the eight recognized under the region’s Heritage Bridge Recognition Program. There is a Mennonite information office in the charming village of St. Joseph.

Covered Bridges in Canada:
In 1900 Quebec, New Brunswick, and Ontario had an estimated 1000, 400, and five covered bridges respectively. In the 1990s there were 98 in Quebec, 58 in New Brunswick,. But only one in Ontario, the West Montrose Covered Bridge.

In 2015, the total number of surviving covered bridges in Canada was below 200.

The longest covered bridge in the world.
The 1,282-foot (391 m) Hartland Bridge in New Brunswick is the longest covered bridge in the world.

The bridge was featured in the film: In the Mouth of Madness (1995)

The Covered Bridge / Craig Cornish

Tired timbers creak and groan;
lonely bones now brittle,
once proud and strong when
bearing the harvest weight.
The wagons and muscular engines
were no burden for my
young and supple limbs.

Spanning the Connecticut,
green to granite –
I miss the melody
of wheels and hooves;
the morning breaths
floating and settling among
my rafters – dripping
in the noon heat.

Carriages where whispers
echo between my latticed
trusses and clandestine truths
and lies were lost in the shadows
where tears of both joy
and pain are forever hidden.

Below, the river perpetually runs
like life and time,
always moving, never waiting,
and testing our will
to carry on…

Copyright © Craig Cornish