A look at a part of history … that still remains, after-the-jump ...
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Growing up in the NYC metro area, there were no covered bridges (or at least that survived) in the commuting range, so this was an abstraction to me. Relocating to northern New England at age thirty-one, I saw many … yet initially considered them as relics, kept for tourists.
It’s only been in the past twenty years that I see them not only as a link to the past, yet also are built-to-last for future generations. This is not any sort of comprehensive look (lacking any civil engineering background, the distinctions made by experts about “historic” and otherwise are beyond me) — instead, just as an overview, with a salute to a noted expert on the subject. (For anyone with some expertise in the field, feel free to chime-in in the comments section).
The first note (that any article or guidebook explains) is that the roofing on a covered bridge is not to protect those using the bridge, but instead to protect the bridge structure from direct elements — resulting in at least 5-times the expected lifespan that would otherwise result. Currently the US states with the largest number of them are Pennsylvania (with 213) and Ohio (with 148).
One of the charming aspects of many covered bridges are the legacy signs on their entrances. Until 2008 (when the new Smolen–Gulf Bridge opened in Ohio) the longest covered bridge in the US was the 1866 Cornish-Windsor bridge not far from me, spanning the Connecticut River from Vermont to New Hampshire.
Of course, they are still vulnerable to fires, lightning, vehicles striking them (especially trucks over the clearance level) and even vandalism (often being situated in more remote areas). And that is largely why in the US: a total of over 14,000 covered bridges were constructed (many from 1825-1875) yet only around 750 survive today. In Canada, there were circa 400 remaining in 1969, yet by 2015 the total is less than half of that. Modern engineering codes and insurance requirements make it difficult to attract smaller firms to enter the restoration (much less new construction) business.
A town in rural northeastern Vermont (near the Canadian border) is grappling over the fate of a 111 year-old covered bridge that just collapsed due to a fire.
Meanwhile, the residents of a different Vermont town had a decision to make in the mid-60’s, when an iron bridge across a river adjacent to its downtown was condemned. As anyone who has visited there knows, Woodstock is a wealthy town (with Laurence Rockefeller pumping money into its buildings (notably the Woodstock Inn) and dedicating a park — so townspeople decided … why not replace it with a wooden covered bridge? (Usually it is metal replacing wood, not vice versa).
And they knew just who to turn to: the Connecticut-born, central New Hampshire builder Milton Graton (1908-1994) who had been in the rigging business after WW-II when he was asked to move a covered bridge that had been closed in 1954. After disassembling it, he was so impressed with the workmanship — and sad that it should go to waste — that he found his life’s calling at age forty-six as a caretaker. So in 1969, the 136-foot Middle Bridge was opened … walking across it, it is open enough to get a good view of the Ottauquechee River beneath it.
Besides running the only full-time firm that repaired/built wooden bridges, Milton Graton operated on the my-word-is-my-bond principle … accepting neither a contract nor a competitive bidding process … and especially not detailed specifications. He would simply make an evaluation from a municipality’s desired design and the terrain involved, offer a firm price/timetable, then shake hands on it. He said sometimes he was told that he bid too low … and offered more. What’s more, his firm preferred hand tools over power machinery, pulled the structures into place with oxen, and cinched together the framing with long wooden pegs, which they milled themselves. On days when oxen were used, a construction site became a spectacle for visitors.
For the thirty year-period ending in 1987, his firm built seven new bridges and rebuilt twenty-five. While covered bridges are concentrated in the East and Midwest, in 1988 his firm rehabbed the 330-foot Knights Ferry covered bridge in Modesto County, California — the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi.
In 1986 he privately published his memoirs The Last of the Covered Bridge Builders— and worked late into his life before his death in 1994 at age eighty-five. His son Arnold runs the legacy firm now: building sixteen new wooden covered bridges and restoring sixty-five (along with two iron truss bridges) ever since.
While many critics panned it, I enjoyed hearing The Bridges of Madison County on Audio Books — read by the author, it was a compelling story. Yet one criticism leveled rang true: there was a maudlin undertone to the first half of the book that was cloying. Say what you will about him: Clint Eastwood did a good job with the 1995 film version, leaving out the maudlin aspect, filming on location in Iowa and bringing the film in on-time-and-under-budget (scoffing at a suggestion to make a $350k mock-up of a bridge, opting for filming when the lighting was just right). When asked to name a film that was better-than-the-book … this is my response.
He also used as the soundtrack for the film (set in 1963) the baritone jazz singer Johnny Hartman (who that year recorded a wonderful album of ballads with John Coltrane). Hartman died in 1983, not long enough to see his recording of I See Your Face Before Me used in the film … which we’ll close with tonight.
Now, on to Top Comments:
Highlighted by Loco4manolo:
In front-page story #1 about the latest hearing for the guy photographed in Nancy Pelosi’s chair, “Bigo” Barnett— this illustration offered-up by BOHICA(I am laughing so hard I am crying).
Highlighted by karij:
In the front-page story about GOP lawmakers only offering culture wars rather than Covid relief — this post made by NorthBronxDem should be a top comment.
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening .....…
In front-page story #2 about the latest hearing for the guy photographed in Nancy Pelosi’s chair, “Bigo” Barnett— first, PvtJarHead thinks his whining came from a misunderstanding, then BigIrish310 follows-up with clarity.
Finally, let me add my “Happy Trails!” wishes to Meteor Blades— besides his yeoman services to the site’s general management, he’s always been a contributor to this page (and my own writings) plus a delight to speak with at Netroots Nation — hoping he will not become a stranger to Top Comments.
TOP PHOTOSMarch 3rd, 2021 Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo.
(NOTE: Any missing images in the Quilt were removed because (a) they were from an unapproved source that somehow snuck through in the comments, or (b) it was an image from the DailyKos Image Library which didn't have permissions set to allow others to use it.) |
And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
1) Thanks for your encouraging report! by DRo +1295) LOCK HIM UP! … by exlrrp +1196) More Harrison by Denise Oliver Velez +11310) Everything with them is projection. by jhecht +9215) A looming disaster. by samanthab +8018) The GOP wants the violence: by ian douglas rushlau +7222) [embed] by Greg Dworkin +7029) Maybe he left it in his jacket. by Laughing Gravy +6430) here is that video on youtube by eeff +62