Old american covered bridges

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
As some of you will know I have just returned from holidaying in the USA, 10 days in Florida with Wife and Kids, then 8 Days just me and my wife in the lakes and mountains region Of Maine, Whilst in Maine we took the opportunity to take a day to find and take some photos of old historic covered bridges, found 3 within a full days driving thought you guys may enjoy some of the shots, I wont post them all as I took loads.

Enjoy

Lovejoy Bridge Covered Bridge Road South Andover, ME 04216 This bridge, built in 1868, is 70 feet long and spans the Ellis River. It has Paddleford trusses and is Maine’s shortest covered bridge. The bridge was reinforced in 1984 to carry local traffic. It is located at South Andover.

This one was well signposted and easy to find using the sat-nav it is still in full use.

DSCF6054.jpg

DSCF6053.jpg

DSCF6056.jpg

DSCF6059.jpg

DSCF6061.jpg

DSCF6063.jpg


Next on the list was Sunday River Bridge (Artist's Covered Bridge) Sunday River Road Newry, ME 04261 This bridge, built in 1872, is named the Artist’s Bridge because of its reputation as being the most photographed and painted of the venerable covered bridges in Maine. The bridge, an 87 foot Paddleford truss, was closed to traffic in 1958 when a new bridge was built downstream. It is located about four miles northwest of North Bethel, Again well sighnposted and easy to find.

DSCF6069.jpg

DSCF6070.jpg

DSCF6071.jpg

DSCF6072.jpg

DSCF6075.jpg

DSCF6079.jpg

DSCF6076.jpg


And finally Hemlock Bridge Hemlock Bridge Road Fryeburg, ME 04037 Hemlock Bridge, built in 1857, is a 109 foot Paddleford truss strengthened with laminated wooden arches. The bridge was reinforced to carry local traffic in 1988. It is located three miles northwest of East Fryeburg over an old channel of the Saco River

This one was not as easy to find as the other 2, the only sign post for it was the actual road sign for the name of the road, which did not show on the sat-nav so had to do it the old way with a paper map. at one point we thought we were on the wrong road as tarmac turned to dirt and I had rather Dodgy looking local right behind me in old pick up with a BIG engine, I would swear I heard banjos playing.

DSCF6087.jpg

DSCF6088.jpg

DSCF6090.jpg

DSCF6092.jpg

DSCF6094.jpg

DSCF6096.jpg

DSCF6102.jpg

DSCF6111.jpg

DSCF6100.jpg
 
Some lovely pics Nosa - glad you both seemed to have a good time - and delivering a history lesson too -most helpful. J :thumbsup:
 
Great Pictures.... :thumbsup:
A lot of those in the area where I live as well dating back to the mid 1800"s...
 
Nosa, great pics. Looks like you had a great time as well.
So is that a rental vehicle? The mrs. has one identical (LTZ) with the larger wheels (18")....and Virginia tags. 8)
 
stunning photos .... and on haloween as well..... brings back sleepy hollow memories :thumbsup:

glad you had a good holiday ....

Teamemmen racing and myself made sure yesterday's meet was not too monochromatic !
 
BSVA said:
Nosa, great pics. Looks like you had a great time as well.
So is that a rental vehicle? The mrs. has one identical (LTZ) with the larger wheels (18")....and Virginia tags. 8)


Yeah it's a rental, I did like it so did my wife even though she never drove it, I did mention to her that it needed bigger wheels, loved the response and engine tone when you put the foot down Covered over 1000 miles in it and was very nice to drive.
 
Great pictures! You didn't meet Meryl Streep then LOL?

My mife was mad about the film Bridges of Madison County and when I was a bit younger and more romantic I bought her a first edition of Robert Waller's book signed by him.
 
Taz x said:
to ask a stupid question, why do they cover them?
Fair question... :thumbsup:
Why Covered?

The Frequently Asked Question about covered bridges has to be: why were they covered? There is a short answer. Wooden bridges with exposed superstructures are vulnerable to rot. Covering and roofing them protects them from the weather, and so they last longer.

In one sense, that just puts off the question. Why so many wooden bridges? And why especially in Pennsylvania and the U. S. Northeast?

In eighteen hundred, the northeastern United States was a country in need of bridges. It is a fairly narrow coastal plain cut by many short rivers and creeks. In the "tidewater" region, these little streams and the great estuaries such as the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays had been highways and lifelines. But now the population was surging beyond the tidewater region, drawn both by the growth of agriculture and the call of water-powered industrialization. Inland farmers needed overland transport, and that meant fords or bridges. But the water-powered mills sought out the very places where the streams could not be forded -- the falls and rapids -- and they too needed transportation.

So bridges were needed. The American northeast was a forest country: wood was a plentiful building material, especially in the remote areas where the smaller bridges were needed. And the climate favored wooden construction. The climate of the region is harsh, by European standards -- hot in the summer and icey in the winter, with a freeze-thaw cycle that would overturn stone pavings. But this sort of climate is less destructive of wood than the mild, moist climate of Britain (or Oregon). So wooden bridges there would be.

The young United States had one other necessary ingredient in plenty: ingenuity. Lewis Wernwag, Theodore Burr, Menander Wood and the rest were just as essential as the material and the need. Without them, there would be no historic covered bridges.

As we enjoy our heritage, we honor the memory of those agile minds who created it.
 
Great photos Nosa,

I must have missed these last year, absolutely love that area of America, Maine etcetera brings back some happy memories of a tour or new England, Martha's Vineyard and New York state. The highlight of which was a 3 hour hike to the top of Prospect mountain, only to find a big car park near the summit :D
 
Glad you had a good time. I hope my countrymen treated you and your family properly.
 
sars said:
Great photos Nosa,

I must have missed these last year, absolutely love that area of America, Maine etcetera brings back some happy memories of a tour or new England, Martha's Vineyard and New York state. The highlight of which was a 3 hour hike to the top of Prospect mountain, only to find a big car park near the summit :D

It is without doubt my Favourite holiday destination.



bigdog said:
Glad you had a good time. I hope my countrymen treated you and your family properly.

They always do bigdog :thumbsup:
 
More pics from the same holiday.
Florida and Maine

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31549&p=425912&hilit=American+holiday#p425912
 
:thumbsup: fantastic!
Made me reminisce. I should stick mine on for you to have a look. I loved the bridges and, like you, jumped out and took pics of every one we passed/drove over.
Thanks for sharing.
 
Back
Top Bottom