Covered Wooden Bridge

[jfahlingsr]

Lighting also could do the trick. Place I worked had a guard tower get stuck and caught fire.

I live just 3 miles upriver and will really miss having it there. No storms that night and no traffic crosses it anymore. Investigators are spending a lot of time there and most think a flammable was spread from one end to the other, all 240+ ft and flames started at about the same time.

 

[Sam squanch]

Maybe some idiots thought it was built with slave labor back in the day and made a statement.

 

[Critter Getter]

I believe that burning covered bridges has been a thing for many years but for the life of me I don’t know why. Greg

 

[TFoley]

Here in UK the only covered bridge we had was the Britannia Rail Bridge, a twin tunnel covered bridge built by Robert Stephenson between mainland North Wales over the Menai Straits. It was burnt down in 1970 by 'two boys playing'.

and rebuilt as a double-decker road/rail bridge - road on top, rail underneath..

 

[Zonie]

I toyed with moving this thread to the "non-muzzleloading" section of the forum but decided more than a few thousand muzzleloaders were undoubtedly carried across that bridge back in the day so I left it where it is.

For those of you who grew up in a city or haven't been around horses, the reason many of the old bridges were covered might seem to be a mystery.
The reason for the roof was to protect the walls on the bridges. The reason for the walls is, horses can be spooky and panic if they think they are traveling over water. With walls on the sides to block off the view of the river below the horses didn't know they were traveling across streams and rivers so they remained calm and continued to pull the wagon or carry the rider without mishaps.

 

[Celticstoneman]

There’s a covered bridge in Illinois I really love and have daydreamed about the pioneers crossing with their flintlocks...

Smokey, Would you share with us the location of that Illnois bridge? There is not much in this state to be proud of so I'd like to pay it a visit.
John

 

[Celticstoneman]

I toyed with moving this thread to the "non-muzzleloading" section of the forum but decided more than a few thousand muzzleloaders were undoubtedly carried across that bridge back in the day so I left it where it is.

For those of you who grew up in a city or haven't been around horses, the reason many of the old bridges were covered might seem to be a mystery.
The reason for the roof was to protect the walls on the bridges. The reason for the walls is, horses can be spooky and panic if they think they are traveling over water. With walls on the sides to block off the view of the river below the horses didn't know they were traveling across streams and rivers so they remained calm and continued to pull the wagon or carry the rider without mishaps.

and here I have always heard the reason a bridge was covered was to protect the wooden deck from the weather. Now I learn there is more than one reason. Alright!

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

It is the Little Mary’s River covered bridge in Chester:

 

[Celticstoneman]

Beautiful bridge! Well maintained. Maybe someone can help. My recollection is that the first Land engagement of the War between the States was in West Virginia and on either side of a covered bridge. ?????

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Yep they redid the bridge a few years ago. It was breaking down pretty badly and there were wasps.

 

[Woody Morgan]

Lighting also could do the trick. Place I worked had a guard tower get stuck and caught fire.

They have that many problems with the employees?

wm

 

[toot]

I toyed with moving this thread to the "non-muzzleloading" section of the forum but decided more than a few thousand muzzleloaders were undoubtedly carried across that bridge back in the day so I left it where it is.

For those of you who grew up in a city or haven't been around horses, the reason many of the old bridges were covered might seem to be a mystery.
The reason for the roof was to protect the walls on the bridges. The reason for the walls is, horses can be spooky and panic if they think they are traveling over water. With walls on the sides to block off the view of the river below the horses didn't know they were traveling across streams and rivers so they remained calm and continued to pull the wagon or carry the rider without mishaps.

thank you for suppling us with that bit of information. most of us including me did not know that.

 

[smo]

This one is located in Davy Crockett State Park in Lawrenceburg Tn.

 

[User_Dan]

this is Mt Zion wooden bridge 150 years old. i know there must have been plenty of muzzle loaders go across it
they rebuilt this bridge a couple years ago and it was the longest covered wooden bridge east of the Mississippi.
248 ft long
now some low lives burned it down. it was the pride of Washington County Ky.
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I do believe a covered bridge in Ashtabula County Ohio is the longest In the US

 

[BJHabermehl]

This one is located in Davy Crockett State Park in Lawrenceburg Tn.

There must be about ten covered bridges in the surrounding counties of my home here at the forks of the Susquehanna. Probably a mildly conservative guesstimate. Two are within 5 miles of me. A number of them are open to foot and bicycle traffic only. BJH

 

[TFoley]

This beautiful bridge in Oregon is 180 feet long, and is and is one of only two in the state using triple Howe truss construction. It is the only covered bridge west of the Mississippi River which has a separate pedestrian walkway.

It's in Westfir, Lane County, in the South-west of the state.

I'm including it here because I'm a muzzleloader and I've crossed it.

 

[SOLANCO]

There must be about ten covered bridges in the surrounding counties of my home here at the forks of the Susquehanna. Probably a mildly conservative guesstimate. Two are within 5 miles of me. A number of them are open to foot and bicycle traffic only. BJH

There are 200 covered bridges in Pennsylvania. We have 29 here in Lancaster county.
I want to say bridge burning is a redneck thing, but maybe it seems that way because the bridges are generally in rural areas. State troopers caught the ignorant redneck who burnt the wood deck off a railway trestle here that had been converted for a rail trail.
ps: I consider myself a cultured, law abiding, literate redneck.

 

[ZUG]

I've crossed many covered bridges in the New England states and they all are a thing of beauty !

 

[George]

A neighbor to my farm did a neat thing, built a covered bridge over the stream crossing the lane leading to his house. It and an old car permanently parked by it add a nice old-time feel to the place.

I took the pictures and I shoot muzzleloaders, so It's OK.

Spence

 

[George]

I'm familiar with Mt. Zion covered bridge, it was only a few miles from my farm. It was a jewel. My wife and I have walked across it more than once. Her family has history in the area going back to the creation of Washington Co. in late 18th century.
It makes me sad to say that I'm no longer surprised to see such things happen in today's world. These days I frequently feel ashamed to be an American. As the comedians say, this ain't your Grandma's world. Whosever it is, they are welcome to it.

Spence