Main Street Bridge

Bridge 13, the Main Street bridge, was built from 1927 to 1930. This was during the construction of the fourth Welland Canal, which spanned 1913 to 1933. Noted for being one of the three largest vertical lift bridges on the canal, it was also the most expensive, costing $986,363.

The superstructure is composed of two towers and a central lifting span. The machinery house in the centre of the lifting span has two storeys. The main contract was awarded to the Dominion Bridge Company of Lachine, Quebec. Maguire, Cameron, and Phin were the sub-contractors.

The bridge is one of only two structures in Welland to have been built almost entirely by Indigenous Peoples. All of the structural high steel work was done by Mohawk people.

Upon its completion, the Main Street bridge greatly affected the lives of Welland’s inhabitants as it was the only link between the east and west portions of the downtown. Its height and central location make the bridge a dominant element and recognizable landmark in the downtown core.