The load-bearing portion (also known as the deck) of a suspension bridge is hung below cables that are attached to vertical towers. Simple suspension bridges lack the vertical towers and instead are anchored to the ground at either end of the bridge, or the ends of the bridge itself. These simple bridges have been used in mountainous terrain around the world for years and year.
John Gold walking on suspension bridge which carries pipe line across a river along pipe line route from Turner Valley to Calgary, Alberta, 1947-1948
Suspension bridges also have a knack of being rather photogenic, or maybe that’s because many are located in picturesque locations. Here we have a small collection of some historical suspension bridges from different areas of the province. Unfortunately, some of these bridges no longer exist, while other are still in use today. We hope you enjoy the following photographs and stay tuned for historical photo posts.
View of Turner Valley oil derrick and suspension bridge, Alberta, 1930sSt. George’s Island pedestrian bridge, Calgary, Alberta, 1977Sifton Boulevard pedestrian bridge, Calgary, Alberta, 1977Suspension bridge over waterfall, Kananaskis, Alberta, 1913Suspension bridge to dam site camp, Ghost River Hydro-Electric Power, Alberta, 1927Fisherman on suspension bridge across Bow River, Alberta, 1928Suspension bridge across Bow River, Alberta, 1928Suspension bridge across the Kananaskis falls, Bow river, Kananaskis area, Alberta, 1910Couple on suspension bridge, Calgary, Alberta, 1940sConstruction of Calgary Power Company Ghost dam, Bow River, Alberta, 1920sHighwood-Sarcee well, Highwood Valley, Alberta, 1929Golfers on suspension bridge at the Edmonton Golf and Country Club, 1933. Object #A12130Suspension bridge en route to Abasand Oils near Waterways, Alberta. Kay Bailey on bridge, 1938. Object #A14395Suspension bridge to Star Mine near Rosedale, 1952. Object #A8478View of building the Hola bridge across the Medicine River. Hola School in background (built 1904). Note – suspension foot bridge to left, built in 1905. Harry Hillman (on left) and Joe Hillman (2nd on left), 1912. Object #A4672
The photos above were collected from the Glenbow Archives and the Provincial Archives of Alberta. If you’re interested, additional information can be found for each photograph on the Glenbow website by searching the identification number that is printed on the photo. There is also the option to purchase a high resolution copy. If you search the object number that can be found in the photo captions, you will find additional information about the photographs on the Provincial Archives website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from across Alberta. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
Tyler is originally from Saskatchewan, and yes he cheers for the Roughriders, but don’t hold that against him as Calgary has been his home for the past eight years. He is a teacher working at a wilderness-
based treatment program for youth working to overcome addiction. Tyler is also a volunteer with the GOT Parks initiative, which aims at reconnecting Canada’s youth with our national, provincial, and territorial parks. During his time away from work, Tyler enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and snowboarding, team sports, travelling, photography, spending time with good friends, and being at home with his wife and German Shepherd, Rome.
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