There are 5 lovely old covered bridges close to myhome. Two others were removed for display in
local museums in recent decades, but the ones
that are left are still in working order.
The Charleton Mill Bridge, which spans Massie's
Creek in Greene County, Ohio was built in
1883 by Henry E. Hebble.
.jpg)
The builder used the Howe Truss, whichis the criss-cross support design shown above.
The overall length is 128 feet with a clear span
of 120 feet. Major repairs were required in
1969 when a truck loaded with gravel attempted
to cross the bridge and caused the floor to give
away. There are now steel I-beams under the
floor. So, if you're ever in Greene County,
Ohio come pay me a visit! And maybe we'll
go see some old bridges! :)
******
The Old Covered Bridge
by Carl E. Smith
So it stands, in its beauty, bridging over the creek,
Like a thing that is doomed, waiting, patient and meek,
For the day of destruction of body and frame,
Like the passing of woodlands, from which it once came:
Quaint relic of yesterday, ~ lest we forget
Is the old covered bridge, as it stands with us, yet.
****
Visit my friends at sepia saturday by clicking here!
nice. we still got a few of those in these parts...love the old wooden ones..my favorite roller coasters are teh old wooden ones as well...
ReplyDelete1883...that is so amazing! But now that I think of it, there are buildings here in Utah built by early pioneers that still stand today. I love the sepia..very nice! Come say hi :D
ReplyDeleteAwesome collections...
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday!
The internal bracing should do the trick. It is a classic old bridge that would be fun to visit. I am an hour away from the Madison County Bridges but haven't been there for quite a few years.
ReplyDeleteL.D. ~ I bet you could get some nice photos when you visit next time!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know why the bridges were covered?
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like things made out of wood.
Christine ~ good question! Here's what I found out...
ReplyDelete"They are covered for protection. What you're really trying to protect in a covered bridge are the structural members--the trusses. Made of heavy timber, these are the expensive part of the bridge, and if they fall apart due to exposure to the elements, so does the bridge. An unprotected wooden bridge will last maybe ten years. Put a cover over it, however, and it'll last for centuries."
Now I learned something new, too! :) Thanks!
I have always been totally in love with covered bridges. They are just works of art to me.
ReplyDeleteThen, I REALLY fell in love with them when I saw BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY..about 14 times...:)
I love the book/film The Bridges of Madison County. I wasn't sure if there are any still standing, so it's great to see one. We don't have anything like these in UK.
ReplyDeleteHm. And here I was, thinking they were covered just to provide protection from the elements for travelers and their horses! Never too old to learn something, I guess. ;-) The most well-known covered bridge in my neck of the woods is the one in Old Sturbridge Village, about half an hour away from me.
ReplyDeleteI confess to knowing nothing about these covered bridges, although I've seen plenty in films and documentaries. Their charming looks belie the complex engineering involved.
ReplyDeleteWow. That bridge looks beautiful. 1883? That's a long time ago. Its amazing to see how it still remains, reflecting the architecture back in those days.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, great post. I am your newest follower!:)
Toodles!
I love these bridges, as they are so significant of the US. They simply do not exist in Europe, and if they do, they are rare.
ReplyDeleteLovely images.
Have a lovely weekend dear Betsy,
xo
Wonderful post Betsy. Some one asked below why they were covered. I just found out when I had a covered bridge on my post. Because the bridge was made out of wood they were covered to make them last longer. That is what I found in my research. After they started to use steel and concrete there was no need to cover them. I think they are so romantic. blessings
ReplyDeleteQMM
Hi!!
ReplyDeleteLovely images.
Happy saturday.
That's a beautiful old bridge, I'm glad it's still in operation.
ReplyDeleteThe only covered bridge near my home is a walking bridge in Guelph. It's great to see the real thing.
I love old covered bridges, great shot!
ReplyDeleteSilver Fox ~ I thought the bridges may have been covered to keep the weather off the road inside, too...but the opposite, in some ways, as in the winter, they would actually shovel snow inside so the sleighs could go through!
ReplyDeleteMr. Stupid ~ thanks for following...so great to meet you here!
ReplyDeleteThis post puts the "Bridges of Madison County" to shame: move over Merle and Clint.. hee hee..
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend. :) The Bach
Very nice pictures...the old bridges have such character. I had never seen the criss cross beams. They look very strong, probably why they lasted so long.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day, Betsy : )
"[T]hey would actually shovel snow inside so the sleighs could go through!" Cool. Makes perfect sense, once you think of it.
ReplyDeleteVisiting places like Old Sturbridge Village, and other similar attractions which give one a sense of what living in earlier times was like, always makes me wish I could live in those times... for a short while, anyway. My biggest reason for not wanting to live in those pre-electricity days is the fact that I'm a voracious reader, and on occasional nights when the power goes out -- and thus, no internet, nor TV to watch DVDs or VHS tapes on -- the illumination from my various oil lamps is abysmal! No wonder they rose and retired so early. Once it's dark, you're scr- I mean... out of luck! ;-)
We don't have bridges like that in the Motherland. They are obviously just built like that in the Colonies!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, I love the old bridges, the covered ones are the only ones I like! I believe it was to shield the horses and buggies that they were so constructed and because of the ice, etc. I have some photos somewhere (?:)) of an old CA goldrush bridge that was reconstructed and there are several near here in Iowa. We go thru OH on our way to PA, but seldom stop there. Perhaps sometime
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see the wooden bracing of a charming bridge.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to a covered bridge for ages and ages. They are so charming. I'm not too far from this one, perhaps an hour and a half. I should try to visit it sometime when I'm headed in that direction. I especially like your second photograph that shows the inner construction. Nice post. Great comments and follow-up to learn more. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteNancy ~ wow..that is close, considering the miles between bloggers! We're practically neighbors! :)
ReplyDeleteVery Nice! They exude character & history... perfect for the beautiful picture, which is what this is!
ReplyDeleteMaking it sepia adds to it's charm!
Thanks for sharing.
I remember a bridge like this in the movie "The Bridges of Madison County"
Very interesting to hear the reason for the covered bridges. It never occurred to me to ask why. I just thought they looked cozy and romantic. Probably a good place to sneak a kiss while courting.
ReplyDeleteI love the postcard masthead on your page.
B & N ~ hee...I bet you're right...couples were probably always walking through those bridges...and talking their time coming out on the other side!
ReplyDeleteThere is always the nostalgia of covered bridges. And some Madison county feeling. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThere really is something so charming about a covered bridge. I used to love travelling through them in Vermont, as a child.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderfully interesting post. I enjoyed every word. I have a fascination with bridges; both the physical and metaphorical aspect of them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these photographs of covered bridges which, I have to admit, I had never heard of until I started reading the blogs of my American friends.
ReplyDeleteWe still have a bunch of these in PA. They are wonderful. Most are off the beaten path.
ReplyDelete