Zavikon located in Canada is home to a bridge, i.e. only 32 feet in length and believed to be the shortest international bridge in the world. This bridge connects a Canadian island with an American island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. Elmer Andress, a merchant owned the island.
The border between the United States and Canada had been set along St Lawrence River in 1793. Due to this border arrangement, Zavikon Island was also divided, with Ottawa (Canada’s capital) retaining a larger portion. On the other hand, Washington (capital of the United States of America) owned a smaller portion. In 1902, Andress built his larger German-style villa on the larger Canadian island of Zavikon.
Andress wanted to build a vegetable garden and a pier around his home that could also be connected to the smaller island. This was the point when the 9.5-meter-long wooden bridge was created between the two islands, which enabled him to cross the two islands easily.
Due to its short height, the tiny bridge was named the Backyard Border Crossing by the North American Press. The Press considered the wooden crossing as the world’s shortest international bridge.
In 1976, the Toronto-based Donald Rickerd and his wife of Hungarian origin Julie Rekai Rickerd purchased the islands. Besides the flags of Canada and the United States, a Hungarian flag was also stuck in the middle of the bridge. A social media user shared a clip of this bridge on Instagram which looks like a sight to behold against the serene backdrop of the beach.
Why Hungarian flag was stuck in the middle of the bridge?
The answer to this question lies in the origins of owner Julie’s mother. Her mother Kati Rekai was born in Budapest, Hungary’s capital under the name Katalin Desider. Katalin had escaped from the Hungarian Communist Regime in 1948 with her husband Dr Janos Rekai. Initially, they escaped to Paris and finally took refuge in Canada. Katalin played a prominent role in promoting Canadian literature at the international level due to which the Hungarian flag was stuck in the middle of the bridge.
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