Old Red Bridge
You could win the first bag of Red Bridge Blend coffee!
Enter December 20th – January 10th, see details
In January, First Best Place will introduce a coffee in partnership with Montana Coffee Traders; the Red Bridge Blend. Proceeds from the coffee will benefit First Best Place programs and events.
Share your best original photo of the old Red Bridge with us through January 10th, then we’ll select the top 10 photos to post on our website. The first place winner will receive a one-pound bag of the Red Bridge blend, an organic, shade-grown Mexican Dark coffee roasted locally at Montana Coffee Traders.
Share your photos with us on Facebook, Twitter (@firstbestplace), or Email them to lindsay@firstbestplace.org by January 10th!
In 2012 the Historic Red Bridge will mark its 100th birthday. For generations the bridge has been both useful infrastructure and memorable landmark. After nearly 80 years as a critical connection point between the east and west side of the Flathead, it was taken out of service at the end of the 80′s, splitting the community in half and eliminating one of the few safe river crossings in Flathead County. For over 20 years the community 
around the bridge has been trying to restore this critical crossing. Not only does the loss of a direct crossing force youth and adults to travel nearly four times the distance – over roadways unsuitable for pedestrians or bicycles - to reach schools or downtown, but the bridge itself has become a dangerous play zone for youths intent on overcoming every effort to prevent access.
The First Best Place is working to rehabilitate the Historic Red Bridge as a pedestrian crossing, and to create the Historic Red Bridge Park. The project is a joint effort of Flathead County, the City of Columbia Falls, First Best Place, and the Montana Department of Transportation.
Check out this video from KAJ 18 for the latest news on the Old Red Bridge project:
Here are some photo renderings of the concepts we are working on for the bridge.
for this project or scroll down to make a financial contribution.
Your help is a critical part of bringing back our bridge. You can contribute to this project by making a donation right now.
Interested in creating a business sponsorship for the Old Red Bridge?
For a $100.00 sponsorship, local businesses can buy a piece of the Old Red Bridge. Each sponsoring business will get its name engraved on a portion of the restored bridge. If your business would like to be a part of restoring this essential piece of our community’s legacy, please take a moment to reserve your sponsorship using PayPal.
Business Sponsorship for the Old Red Bridge: $100.00
This video tells you the basic story of the bridge. Check it out!
Want to help?
Your financial contributions make our projects possible. Click to make a donation today.
