Prior to the construction of the original bridge in 1921, a hand-pulled ferry provided a way to cross the Saint John River at this location.[1] The first US border station at Madawaska was a small white cabin at the end of the bridge. Around 1930, a two-story wooden border station was constructed. This was replaced by the current one-story brick border station in 1960. For many years, Canada had a small wooden border station with a red roof. This structure was replaced in 1992 with a new brick facility.
1919 photo of a hand-pulled ferry that enabled travel between Madawaska and Edmundston prior to the construction of the original bridge.
In June 2024, a new 1,828 foot long bridge opened between Edmundston and Madawaska that connects new border inspection facilities on both sides of the river2[2].
