Vanceboro Rail Bridge, Maine

The international boundary with Canada passes through the middle of this now obsolete rail bridge, over the St. Croix River, in the remote border town of Vanceboro, Maine. The bridge was on an important line connecting the northeastern USA and the Maritimes, from 1871 to the early 20th century. In 1915 the bridge was bombed by a German spy, attempting to limit routes for troops that he suspected might be coming through Canada to fight the Germans (as the US was still neutral in World War 1, at that time). The spy was caught, convicted, and after serving six years in prison, was finally considered insane, and sent back to Germany. The bridge, though quickly repaired after the bombing, fell into disuse over the following years, with more expedient shipping methods and routes, roads and rail, developed through the region.