Three covered bridges give Sunbury County a tangible historical reference point. Their construction dates range from 1909 to 1936; their lengths and posted weight limits offer further points of comparison. The locations near Hoyt Station and Mill Settlement, as well as the name Rusagonis River, help distinguish the individual structures. If you are interested in the history of covered bridges, you can consider the three based on these differences instead of grouping them solely by their shared architectural type.
Covered Bridges: Construction Dates, Spans and Limits
The B015 Back Creek No. 2 Covered Bridge near Hoyt Station in Sunbury County was built in 1936 and is 28.8 metres long. Its posted limits are 10 tonnes gross weight and 6 tonnes per axle. Older is the R650 Rusagonis River No. 2 Covered Bridge, also called Owens or Patrick: it dates from 1909, has two spans with a total length of 35.2 metres, and a posted weight limit of 10 tonnes.
The S590 South Oromocto River No. 2 Covered Bridge near Mill Settlement was built in 1912. At 41.5 metres, it is the longest of the three bridges described here; its posted limits are 10 tonnes gross weight and 6 tonnes per axle. The dates form a clear sequence: first Rusagonis River No. 2, then South Oromocto River No. 2, and finally Back Creek No. 2. For the weight limits, it is important to distinguish between gross weight and weight per axle: the additional 6-tonne per-axle limit is specified for Back Creek No. 2 and South Oromocto River No. 2.
Oromocto: Fort Hughes, Museums and Trails
In Oromocto, military history can be explored at Fort Hughes and several museums. The original Fort Hughes was built in 1780 and occupied by the Loyalist regiment Royal Fencible Americans until the end of the war. A replica of the fort, a blockhouse from the American Revolutionary War, stands near the original site on the Oromocto River in Sir Douglas Hazen Park. This makes it possible to understand the historic fort and the present-day replica as two distinct aspects of the same place name.
The Canadian Military Engineers Museum is located at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering, in the Mitchell Building at CFB Gagetown in Oromocto, New Brunswick. It moved to its current location and officially reopened there on July 1, 1998. The New Brunswick Military History Museum presents the history of New Brunswick’s armed forces from 1600 to the present; its life-size exhibits also cover the province’s military history. Check current access arrangements before visiting a museum.
Oromocto Pioneer Days takes place annually in late June or early July. If you would like to plan your stay around the event, check the dates for the relevant year before planning your trip.
Trails and Getting Around Oromocto
The Deer Park Nature and Trans Canada Trail System is relatively flat overall. Activities available there include walking, jogging, hiking, non-motorized cycling and wheeled sports, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The range therefore extends from walking trails to activities on horseback or in winter. A specific length is given for the southern route of the Oromocto section of the Trans Canada Trail: it runs for 3.1 kilometres into central Oromocto and to the Hazen Park Trailhead.
At the Hazen Park Centre, also known as the Sir Douglas Hazen Park TCT Water Route Trailhead, there is a boat, canoe, and kayak launch ramp, as well as washrooms. Oromocto’s cycling network includes several kilometres of on-road bike lanes and off-road trails. It also includes sidewalks marked to increase awareness of cyclists. Second Nature Outdoors in Oromocto, at the mouth of the Oromocto River where it meets the St. John River, offers tours and courses.
The location of the Visitor Information Centre is another landmark for finding your way on arrival in Oromocto: it is beside eastbound Exit 303 of the Trans-Canada Highway. Bridges, military history, events, and trails offer different focal points for your stay. Use the places and activities mentioned to decide what you would like to explore first, and take current access arrangements into account when visiting museums.
Discover more destinations: Oromocto, Lincoln, Carleton County, Gloucester County, Charlotte County, Westmorland County, Madawaska County, Albert County.
For the main travel overview: New Brunswick.
