Additional Resources  Kirkham’s Bridge – Through the Years River crossing, swimming hole, campground, community … and more. For the prairie farmer in pioneer times, the river was both a necessity and an obstacle. Many farmers had land on both sides, and while crossing in late summer was easy enough, what was sometimes a mere nuisance, could be deceptively dangerous. During the spring flood of 1897 while the bridge was washed out, Walter Chapman had some ploughshares that he wanted to take across the river to Joe Kirkham to be sharpened. He swam the swollen river empty-handed, no problem, then return for the shares. He strapped them on his back and stepped back into the river, but this time the river proved to be too swift and the load too heavy, so a life was lost.  The remains of the previous bridge. In the early days, when the need of a convenient way to cross the river became apparent, surveyors were required to locate a suitable site for a bridge. In 1895 they arrived at the William Chapman home and after many measurements, they decided that the best location for the bridge was due west of his farm buildings. The bridge was named "Kirkham’s Bridge” after the Kirkham family who had settled on the west bank of the river. All went well until the spring floods of 1897, when it washed out. Better footings had to be found. About 500 metres downstream suitable hardpan on which to support the piles was discovered, so the entire structure was floated down river and reconstructed on the site of present bridge. In 1906 a new steel bridge was erected. During the 1930’s this became a favorite spot for school picnics, community ball games, and other forms of entertainment. Hundreds of people gathered here on Sunday afternoons to bathe in the cool water of the river and to enjoy a few hours of relaxation while visiting with friends and neighbors. Mr. Baker who now lived the Kirkham farm, and his family operated a small "booth", which did a thriving business, selling drinks and snacks. For years the Boy Scouts and Cubs have made this pasture their summer camping ground. Many Brandon citizens also pitched tents here, where they could enjoy the quiet unspoiled beauty of this scenic spot. Gradually the crowds at Kirkham’s Bridge diminished, due to the accessibility of newer and larger resorts, and the advent of World War II. In 1951 a channel was cut in the river north of the bridge to allow a graded road to be built through the valley. This straightened the river for a short distance and changed the scenery to some extent. The Sixties and the Seventies brought activity once more to the area when the Riverdale Hospital Aid Auxiliary and Kirkham’s Bridge WI revived interest in the picnic area. They served a cold plate supper each summer, beginning in 1964 and on into the Seventies. As many as three hundred enjoyed the meal under the shade trees and of course the visiting. At the same time ball games were popular once more in the area. When the new Kirkham’s Bridge was constructed in 1979-81 the lovely sandy river bottom was ruined and thus the huge, well loved stone no longer an attraction. Mr. William Baker, son of Mr. Jack Baker, was the first one to drive a truckload of grain across the new Kirkham’s Bridge, just as his father had delivered the first load across the 1906 bridge. |
