At the time of the construction of the first bridge, in 1872, the population of the village of Ste-Genevieve Batiscan needed to cross the river to go to church on the other side. It is after having disassembled the old church of the village that Narcisse-Pierre Massicotte undertook the construction of the bridge with the stone of the church which was useful for the construction and support of the bridge. The bridge was open for people and cars in 1873. The bridge fell apart by ice and debris in the spring of 1896 whereas the ice which descended the river carried the bridge with it. The bridge was rebuilt thanks to the assistance of his brothers and his son Arthur Massicotte.

The Massicotte lieutenant-colonel died in 1897 and the bridge was maintained by his son Arthur. Debris, again carried the bridge in the spring of the years 1909 and 1914. However, the bridge was again rebuilt, each time. The bridge became the property of the province of Quebec in 1917.

The bridge of the Batiscan river, then property of the Massicotte lieutenant-colonel and thereafter, his son, was a paying bridge whereas it cost 2 cents to cross it by foot and 2$ annually for the cars.

April 2, 1995, the bridge of Ste-Genevieve was officially named the Narcisse-Pierre-Massicotte Bridge.

It was blessed by parish priest Gaston Kirouac. Today it is a non-toll bridge. As shown in the video above, you just cross the bridge and make a right down a little ways on the right will be the Massicotte monument dedicated in 1995 by Les' Massicotte D'Amerique Association. There is a picture of the monument on The Massicotte of America Association page. The monument overlooks the Massicotte land.

 

 

Last Updated
May 19th, 2002