Covered Bridges

A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. They have typically been wooden, although some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides. Mainly associated with the nineteenth century, covered bridges often serve as prominent local landmarks and have long attracted the attention of historic preservationists.

Early bridges were often made of wood, especially where it was a plentiful resource. Wooden bridges tended to deteriorate rapidly from exposure to the elements, having a useful lifespan of only nine years. Covering them protected their structural members, thus extending their life to 80 years or more.

The Covered Bridge

by Elizabeth K. Fuller

The covered bridge is standing yet
A relic of the past,
'Twas built in"horse and buggy days"
When life was not so fast.

They went climbing up the latticework
And hiding on the beams,
Calling out to folks who passed
And scaring all the teams.

It's seldom now that wagon wheels--
The trotting of a horse
Are heard within the covered bridge,
The changing times, of course

The boys would carve initials,
Unite what names they pleased,
And then look down in laughter
Because the girls were teased

I once would boast that I could tell
What farmer came to town
By just the way his buggy squeaked,
His horse's hoofs went down

But when excitement always reigned
When circus bills were posted
Roaring lions! Acrobats!
All things the circus boasted.

But now I see a streak of blue,
Sometimes a streak of gray,
An auto has passed through the bridge,
Is speeding on its way.

We studied on those circus bills
Where daring stunts were shown
And after painful practice
Gave a circus of our own

The bridge was once a haven
On a rainy summer day
The children in the neighborhood
Would gather there to play.

But now when children cross the bridge
They're told to hurry through,
And frightened into knowing
What a speeding car might do.

Sometimes 'twas "kitty corner"
Sometimes 'twas "keeping school,"
A noisy bunch of youngsters
Bent on breaking every rule.

The covered bridge is standing yet
And through its open portals
The cars go dashing day and night,
What chance have we poor mortals?

Covered Bridges

A bridge is a curious thing to cover.
mile after mile of naked road -
then a wooden box over stream or ravine.

Why not cover the road instead
leaving the bridge unclothed?
But where's the romance in that, you say?

Well, perhaps it was made for Currier and Ives
or to embellish the music
of iron shod hooves on oaken planks.

Or maybe it was built as a kiosk
for fading feed and carnival posters
and jackknife glyphs of amorous initials.

No, all our covered bridges, real or imagined,
guide our passage over deadly waters -
holding us fast on the road
and safe from drowning.

Robert Charles Howard