Vermont has more covered bridges per square mile than any other state in the United States. An official covered bridge is not determined by age, but the method on how it is built, by trusses and a covered slanted roof. I have always had a fascination with covered bridges and although I had grown up in Connecticut I had never walked across one this piece of Americana.
Last week I crossed this off my bucket list when I visited Woodstock Vermont and walked across Middle Bridge. I had another surprise as we took the scenic route down Rte 106 and found this picturesque bridge over a small creek.
The most famous bridges are those of Madison County in Iowa, so I really didn’t need to travel far from Nebraska to find covered bridges, but there is something special, romantic, and mystical about covered bridges in Vermont.
Facts About Covered Bridges
- First covered bridge was built in 1808 over the Mohawk river in New York
- Vermont contains 100 authentic covered bridges
- At one time the United States has over 10,000 covered bridges, 750 remain today
- Covered bridges are painted red because iron ochre was an inexpensive pigment.
- Bridges were covered to prevent the wood dry and prevent rot (not to keep horses from spooking over the water)
- Town Lattice is the most popular style of covered bridge
- There are only 8 railroad covered bridges in the United States, only 2 still function during tourist events.
- Only six covered bridges still carry two way traffic all the rest are one way only.
- Covered bridges can be found in 30 states in the United States
Related articles
- Covered Bridges of Vermont on Amazon
- Additional photos of Middle Bridge
- List of Covered bridges in Vermont
- Chitwood Covered Bridge in Lincoln County is south of U.S. 20 at milepost 17, (oregonlive.com)
- Travel Theme – Bridges. (thegingerbreadcafe.wordpress.com)
- A new section… Covered Bridges (houseofwoogeroo.wordpress.com)
