A Journey Through History and Charm

 

There’s something timeless about a covered bridge. These historic wooden structures are scattered across the American landscape, each one a reminder of a simpler era when horse-drawn wagons and early automobiles rumbled over creaky floorboards, protected from the weather by the bridge’s iconic roof and walls.

Three weeks ago, after a nasty fall with a glass in my hand, I found myself unable to do much of anything around the house. After my husband handed me a drink (in a plastic cup, no less!) and insisted I sit down, I scanned the movies on YouTube. Much to my delight, I found two favorites, “Friendly Persuasion” and “The Bridges of Madison County.”

   

It wasn’t until the next day that I realized both featured covered bridges and it ignited a quest to find out more about this iconic structure.

Simply having a roof doesn’t necessarily make a structure a true covered bridge, though. Underneath every authentic covered bridge is its truss system, a network of beams, often in the shape of triangles, that distributes the weight of the bridge and the load it carries on its deck. The trusses, though rugged in appearance, require precision, and building one often took a whole village — quite literally.  Dozens, if not hundreds, of skilled workers from the community were involved: sawyers to prepare the rough-cut logs, timber framers to properly place the beams, and stonemasons to build the abutments, to name a few. Throughout the 19th century, covered bridges popped up wherever rivers and streams needed crossing — especially in the Northeast and Midwest. Each bridge showcased the craftsmanship of local builders and engineers, many of whom developed their own unique truss designs, like the Burr Arch or the Town Lattice.

Covered bridges first appeared in the United States in the early 1800s. The very first was built in 1805 over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known as the “Permanent Bridge”, it was designed by Timothy Palmer and set the stage for thousands more to come.

But why cover a bridge? The simple answer is durability. Wooden bridges exposed to rain, snow, and sun would quickly deteriorate. By adding a roof and siding, builders could protect the timber trusses, extending a bridge’s life from just 10-15 years to more than 70 or even 100 years.

Building a bridge was a major undertaking that required careful planning and a substantial community investment of time, labor, and materials. In the days before weatherproofed lumber, walls and a roof could extend a valuable bridge’s lifespan by shielding the truss system and keeping structural timbers dry.

With the increasing importance of locomotive transportation in the 19th century, iron was adopted for covered bridges to carry the heavy loadings of the railroad. At first metal was used for only part of the truss, in either vertical or diagonal members, and later for the whole truss. Cast iron and wrought iron were soon replaced by steel, and a principal form of the modern railroad bridge rapidly evolved.

At their peak in the 1800s, the United States had an estimated 12,000 covered bridges. Today, that number has dwindled to around 700-1,000, thanks to modernization, floods, fires, and neglect. But these survivors are now fiercely protected by local historical societies, states, and bridge enthusiasts.

Fun fact: Pennsylvania still holds the record for the most covered bridges in the country, with over 200 remaining!

In spite of their pure functionality, people came up with their own interpretations for covered bridges. Common beliefs emerged that a roof strengthened a bridge or protected the floor planks from rain and snow. Many came to think that covered bridges were built to shelter the people and animals traversing them, and some claimed the barn-like appearance calmed uneasy animals crossing over rushing water. Storytellers showcased covered bridges in tales ranging from the romantic to the mythical. These misunderstandings and cultural references encouraged the association of covered bridges with a “simpler time.”

They also served as gathering places and even inspired local lore — such as the tradition of couples sharing a covert kiss under the roof, inspiring the name “kissing bridges.”  It’s an old tradition from the horse-and-buggy days, when a boy would stop halfway across a covered bridge where it was quiet to give his girl a kiss.

 

 

While covered bridges once dotted nearly every state, today you’ll find the highest numbers mostly in the Northeast and Midwest — plus a few surprising spots out West.

Pennsylvania: ~210                            Vermont: ~100+
Ohio: ~125+                                            Indiana: ~90+
New Hampshire: ~50+                     Oregon: ~50+
New York: ~30+                                   Iowa: ~20+
Virginia: ~7                                           California: ~10
Georgia: ~15                                         West Virginia – 17

Covered bridges, like a piece of living history, connect us to a time when engineering was practical, beautiful, and built by hand. They’re reminders of our rural heritage and the communities that rallied to preserve them.

Roseman Bridge in Winterset, Iowa

So, the next time you spot a covered bridge sign on your travels, make a detour. Walk through it, snap a photo, and imagine the echo of horses’ hooves or wagon wheels rolling through the past.

 

An Upcoming Release…Just in Time for Christmas!

This anthology contains three standalone, yet inter-connected, books based in Harmony, Kansas. It’s nearing Christmas and the Circle of Friends Quilting group is planning the Annual Christmas Quilt Giveaway. Here, the quilts are stitched with love and where the quilter weaves dreams into reality, one thread at a time.

Noelle
A widow reluctant to love again…
A deputy determined to win her heart…
With Christmas looming, will the growing attraction between Noelle and the deputy reveal the gift of a second chance? Or could a stranger from the deputy’s past threaten the man who captured her heart?

Hope
He was the most stubborn and prideful man she’d ever met.
She was a busybody who stuck her nose in his business at every turn!
As Christmas approaches, will they look beyond each other’s faults and see a future blossom from a special, once-in-a-lifetime friendship?

Ivy
He was the town bully.
She was his target.
Had anything changed?
Was Ivy Sutton willing and able to forgive the boy who made her childhood unbearable?
Can Grady Walsh make up for the reckless actions of his youth?
Or will another steal her away before they have a chance to discover a kind of love that might heal the pain from the past?

 

Pre-Order Link