For more than a century, the 1914 St. Louis Bridge carried goods, grain trucks, and families across the South Saskatchewan River. When the new Highway 2 bridge opened east of town, traffic stopped, and the old span was left closed off with plain barricades. For many in St. Louis, it felt like a piece of their identity had been set aside.
The St. Louis Historical Society did not want to see that happen. They began working on a plan to preserve the bridge and turn it into a place where people could visit, walk, and reflect on the history of the region. The project took seven years to come together through small donations, local partnerships, and volunteer commitment. Now, the bridge is open for public walking access as a heritage experience, with interpretive signs, seating, and a new artistic entrance designed by Fransaskois ironwork artist Constant Poilièvre.
Michel Dube, a volunteer with the Historical Society, said the project began as both a cultural and economic response when the highway moved away from town.
“When the new bridge was built, people worried that fewer visitors would come through St. Louis,” Dube said. “This bridge was part of our community. It connected us for generations. We wanted to preserve that connection and make it meaningful again.”
The entrance to the old bridge features a wrought-iron gate divided into three panels. One depicts a bison’s head. Another shows an oxen cart guided by a Métis driver. The third shows a pioneer breaking prairie soil with a plow. Together, the images reflect the layers of history in the region: Indigenous presence along the river, Métis settlement, and the arrival of Francophone farming families who helped form the village.
Visitors can enter through the gate and walk along the central section of the bridge at their own pace. A fenced corridor ensures safe access while allowing clear views of the river valley. Benches provide places to sit and look out over the landscape. Interpretive signs explain how St. Louis grew, the geology of the South Saskatchewan River, and the cultural relationships that shaped the area.
“It is a tourist attraction now,” Dube said. “There is no vehicle traffic. The whole point is to walk it. People can stop and look up and down the river. They can take their time.” It is not intended as a transportation route or everyday footpath, he said, but as a place to pause, look, and learn.
The bridge is also connected to another unique landmark. In 2004, during geological testing for the new highway crossing, workers uncovered the remains of a prehistoric bison. Specialists later determined the animal lived roughly 10,000 years ago and was about 25 to 30 percent larger than the modern bison. A life-sized bronze sculpture of the ancient animal now stands nearby, with signs explaining its significance. The Historical Society sees the discovery as part of the same narrative, tying the area to thousands of years of movement along the river.
The nearby Lions Park has also been expanded into a picnic area with camping spots and additional signage. Visitors can now walk, read, and explore within a short distance of the bridge itself.
Local fundraising played a large role in the project. Residents donated money and labour. The Village of St. Louis and the surrounding rural municipality contributed. The local Métis supported the work. The French Economic Development Corporation provided the largest single financial contribution, and several contractors reduced their rates to help the project proceed.
“There were many donations in kind and a lot of quiet support,” Dube said. “People believed this mattered.”
Today, the bridge is open seven days a week. There is no admission. Anyone can park at the entrance and walk across.
For Dube, the project goes beyond history or tourism. It is about a sense of belonging.
“Everybody here has crossed that bridge,” he said. “It is part of the psyche of the community. The river, the bridge, and the road north and south. It is all connected. This place shaped who we are.”
The Historical Society hopes school groups will visit to learn about the region’s cultural development. They also hope travellers on Highway 2 will respond to a new roadside sign encouraging them to turn off and explore.
“If people take 15 or 30 minutes to stop, walk, and look around, that is already something,” Dube said. “It keeps the spirit and the story of St. Louis alive.”
