Painting Description

A low home-made bridge has been built across the Conestogo River at Hawkesville to shorten a long horse-drawn route through the village.

This bridge is only one of three bridges built by the Old Order Mennonites over the Conestogo River. The genius of these constructions is that they are built low enough that the ice breaking up in spring flows over the bridge and does not threaten the abutments. These bridges reduce travel time by a great deal for those who travel by horse and buggy.