Just a question on bridges? Is there a particular historic reason some bridges in America are covered bridges? Tolls, taxes, Guard posts??
They look good in photographs whatever the reason.
Just a question on bridges? Is there a particular historic reason some bridges in America are covered bridges? Tolls, taxes, Guard posts??
They look good in photographs whatever the reason.
I think they had something to do with the weather, but I'm not absolutely sure. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chip in...Originally Posted by Steve Nicholls
Edit: I am not aware of any covered bridges outside of New England (Vermont comes to mind immediately), and some in Pennsylvania's Bucks County. My home state (New Jersey) has just one covered bridge remaining. I love them!
The "cover" protects the structural timbers and wrought iron rods from weather
The “cover” protects the roadway from snow and ice.
Iowa has the bridges of Madison County.
Jerome
The temple bridge in Mariannelund, SWEDEN. Linhof Technika 4x5"
Knox Bridge, Valley Forge Park, PA
Polaroid Type 55 Negative
Tachihara 4x5, Schneider Super-Symmar XL 80 mm
(I don't know how to paste the full size pic here)
You know it's kinda funny that this is the second time I have come across a photo taken from the top of Mt. Sugarloaf when browsing forums online. I wouldn't think that it would be that popular a location. In the summer I work about 10 minutes from there, maybe I will have to visit it with camera sometime.
Bridge over Connecticut River
Sunderland, Massachusetts, USA
Not to protect from snow and ice (sorry) but, as Ed said, covered bridges were thus to protect the timbers under the span. In the day, the main supports were simply large logs, and were not chemically treated to preclude rot. The covered spans lasted something like 3 times as long as uncovered.
These are MF (GA 645zi), not LF, but hopefully I'll be forgiven if there are 3 bridges in two pictures. There's a handout at the Auburn (CA, near Sacramento) State Recreation Area called the "Confluence Self Guided Trail" and the many bridges, most long gone, across the American River in that area are featured parts of the trail.
First is the "No Hands Bridge," or more boringly called the Mountain Quarries RR Bridge, that is now a pedestrian bridge. Apparently riding across it on a horse without holding onto the reins (presumably before the guard rail was installed) is how the bridge got the "No Hands" nickname.
Next are the old (lower) and new (upper) Foresthill Bridges. The new was done in 1973 with the anticipation of flooding the valley, the water line would have been just below the metal arch, but the dam was never built. The new one at 730' above the water line is the tallest bridge in California, and is quite popular in TV and movies (the little handout says it was in "Breakdown" and "XXX") and probably really popular with base jumpers.
Drew
The longest covered bridge in the world is in Hartland, New Brunswick (not that far from New England, actually). I saw it on a family trip (38 years ago
) and am happy to see via Google that it still exists.
None of my dad's snaps of the bridge are within easy reach, alas. Anyway, he used a Pentax Spotmatic, not LF. Any of our Canadian or New England LFers been by there recently?
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