Covered bridges

[crazyal]

I live within a half hours drive of almost 20 covered bridges. Tuesday I took a break from firewood and the GF and I went for an afternoon drive. Here's some of the pictures we took. Share any you have.

 

[Jim Shooz]

Brilliant ! !

 

[tkappeler]

Beautiful! We have family up that way and want to retire there. Unfortunately, as a teacher, my wife can never get off from school to go up during fall.

 

[MarkV]

Those are great! You live in some very pretty country. Why were covered bridges popular when they were built? Was it to keep snow off for winter travel?

MarkV

 

[smstonypoint]

Beautiful photos -- thanks for posting.

What type of lumber of lumber is used for the siding in order to hold up to the weather?

Steve

 

[rekees4300]

Thanks for sharing. What's up with the green metal roofs? Some sort of state regulation?

 

[crazyal]

The idea behind covering the bridge was to protect the timber framing from the weather. I'm not sure what type of wood they use but I would guess white oak and hemlock. I'm guessing that green steel is just a Vermont thing. Kind of goes with the state motto "Green Mountain state".

 

[vtsnowedin]

The timber frame is usually white spruce and the side boards are pine or cedar. The roofs were originally cedar shingles but they need to be replaced every twenty years or so. The standing seam metal (any color you want but green is the favorite) roofing is the state of the art in VT and will last fifty years or better, and is lighter then the shingles were.

 

[crazyal]

So I did a little research and found a report on the bridge in the 6th picture from the top. The bridge was a combination of Hemlock (deck and cord), Spruce (lattice), and Rock Maple (pegs).

 

[GolfAddict]

Great set of pictures! I really enjoyed them - thanks for posting.

 

[crazyal]

Your welcome. It was a fun day and I have about 100 that came out really nice. I'm actually thinking of going back in the dead of winter and taking the same set of pictures. If those come out looking nice then I'll do spring and summer to capture all four seasons.

 

[dragoneggs]

Absolutely great pics! No such thing here in the PNW. Great time of year to photograph. Here is to encouraging more TBn'ers to share!

 

[wmonroe]

Thanks for the pictures, I enjoy seeing old covered bridges.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Here is a question for you. I have old town reports that show where a man paid part of his taxes by "Snowing the covered bridge". What did he do?

 

[dave1949]

Here is a question for you. I have old town reports that show where a man paid part of his taxes by "Snowing the covered bridge". What did he do?

Shoveled snow inside for sleigh runners?

 

[vtsnowedin]

Shoveled snow inside for sleigh runners?

Ayup!

 

[OrangeAgain]

Thanks for the great pics! They would make a great calendar with some of the same shots in each of the four seasons here in Vermont.

 

[mikehaugen]

Awesome pics!

 

[dave1949]

Ayup!

I didn't think it meant raking snow off the roof. Then I thought about why someone would bank snow around the bridge ends or whatever, then it hit me. :laughing: All that old horse-drawn farm stuff used runners in winter and the bridge deck would be mostly bare.

Glad you mentioned it. It's certainly not something that comes to mind when looking at the bridges. Thanks for sharing.

 

[crazyal]

Some of these bridges are pretty long. I'm not sure if I would take that job.