Saint Marys in Perth County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Grand Trunk Trail St. Marys
In 1857, the Grand Trunk Railway announced plans to extend its main line from Toronto to Sarnia. As it passed through St. Marys, it was necessary to build two high trestle bridges, one across the Thames River, the other across Trout Creek to carry a branch line to London. The contracts to complete these lines were awarded to Donald Robinson and George Weir and a number of masons and quarrymen along with many labourers were hired locally to work on the project. The first train crossed this bridge in November, 1859, and the Sarnia branch of the Grand Trunk Railway began 130 years of business.
In December, 1988, the Canadian National Railway announced its intent to abandon this line and a few months later the last train crossed the Sarnia Bridge. In 1993, the Town of St. Marys completed an agreement to purchase the railway right-of-way through the municipality. A group of local and area volunteers was formed in 1996 to plan and raise money for a walking trail along the right-of-way and over the Sarnia Bridge. The name of this walkway was chosen to reflect its history: The Grand Trunk Trail St. Marys.
Erected 2000
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1859.
Location. 43° 15.799′ N, 81° 8.933′ W. Marker is in Saint Marys, Ontario, in Perth County. It can be reached from Emily St, on the right when traveling south. Marker is along the Grand Trunk Trail, 230 m west of Emily St, at the west end of the walking bridge over the Thames. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 216 Emily St, Saint Marys ON N4X 1C8, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Huron-Perth-Waterloo-Wellington Area and in Southwestern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Ruperts Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance
cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), July 1, 2012
2. Grand Trunk Railway Bridge
It carried trains across the Thames River from 1859 to 1988, and became a pedestrian bridge in 1999.
cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), July 1, 2012
3. Grand Trunk Trail Marker
This plaque, next to the featured one, commemorates the trail's official opening on Oct. 3, 1999.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 21, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 705 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 21, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
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