In 1995, someone dragged me to see the Bridges of Madison County movie. It was a sad romance and I wasn't old enough to care. But the bridges, which the photographer character in the movie went to Iowa to photograph, seemed quite unique. Later, I learned that even though each bridge is unique, there are many examples of covered wooden bridges in countries around the world (not just in Iowa). One of these, a 132-year old gem called the Honey Run Bridge, was located near the town of Chico in northern California.
This week, it was destroyed by fire.
Considering that dozens of people have been killed, thousands of people have lost their homes, and hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated due to these recent fires, it’s hard to argue that this bridge was the worst loss. But from looking at pictures of the Honey Run Covered Bridge, you can see that it was an important historic structure. Wood does not last forever, so it may not have been there for more than a few more decades anyway, but I'm sorry it's gone. It's nice to see that people have documented this bridge well in photographs and we have that record of the past.
Honey Run Bridge before it burned down. Source: Honey Run Covered Bridge Association.
The first question most people have about covered bridges is “why cover the bridge?” Today, most such infrastructure would be made from steel and concrete, which can last a very long time. But bridges used to be made of wood. When wood is left outdoors to face the elements (sun, rain, wind, etc.) it has a very limited lifespan. In the case of these wooden bridges placed right above the water, many would not last longer than 10-15 years before needing to be replaced. So in many places, people started to cover them to extend that lifespan, creating roofs above these bridges to shield them from the elements. It’s like a shed or barn over the bridge, leaving enough space so that trains, cars, pedestrians, or any intended traffic can get through. Once there, it might serve other functions such as a bus stop that’s protected from the elements.
Here is a picture of another example of a covered bridge (which still exists), the Lower Humbert Bridge in Pennsylvania.
Lower Humbert Bridge in Pennsylvania. Creative Commons via Flickr.com by Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands.
After reading about the demise of the Honey Run Bridge and going through some photographs, I decided to make a post about covered bridges. There are many interesting examples of them around the world, each one unique and historic in its own way. If you have further interest, here is a list of the approximately 1600 covered bridges that exist in the world: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_covered_bridges .
But let me share three of them that no one will ever see again in person!
The Honey Run Covered Bridge, 1886-2018
Of course I had to start with this one. Here is a nice video someone made that chronicled this bridge and you can see a picture of the wreckage after it burned down. However, the date in the video appears to be incorrect, as other sources indicate that it was built in 1886 rather than 1894. If so, this bridge was 132 years old when it was destroyed by this week’s fire in Butte County, California.
RIP. Or maybe the locals will rebuild it.
The wreckage of the Honey Run Bridge. Source: Chico Enterprise-Record.
https://www.chicoer.com/2018/11/09/honey-run-covered-bridge-destroyed-by-fire/
Cedar Covered Bridge, Madison County, Iowa
The Cedar Bridge was one of the famous Iowa bridges that gave some flavor to the book and movie Bridges of Madison County. In 2017, it burned down in a probable case of arson. It’s unfortunate that someone would willfully destroy a piece of history like this. In fact, this was the second time it was destroyed, having been rebuilt once since the novel and movie.
"Bridges of Madison County" novel from Grand Central Publishing.
The Cedar Covered Bridge appeared on the cover of the original novel, which was a bestseller, so its picture may have been seen by more people worldwide than any other covered bridge.
The Beetlejuice Bridge in Vermont
Haha! You didn’t expect this one, did you? If you’ve never seen the 1988 movie Beetlejuice, you’re missing a good one. For those who have seen the movie, you might remember that the poor couple in that film died in a traffic accident on a covered bridge. (Of course, that wasn't the end of the story, since it’s a movie about ghosts.)
Beetlejuice movie. Source: Warner Brothers.
The movie was filmed in a cute little town called East Corinth, Vermont. But here’s a surprise: there is no covered bridge there! The moviemakers built one as a set piece over the Waits River. I hope they didn’t name that river after Tom Waits, but he might have fit acceptably well in that movie.
The temporary covered bridge for the movie. Source: Vermontvacation.com
Anyway, here is a picture of the covered bridge from the movie with the car sticking out of it. Again, like the house in the movie, this was just built for the occasion and was more of a set than an actual landmark.
Didn’t I promise that I’d show some covered bridges that you cannot visit anymore? And this one no longer stands, so I wasn’t lying. :)
Okay, One More and It’s Still Standing
Just so you don’t get depressed or think that I got off too cheaply by including a movie set piece, here is a genuine, amazing looking bridge that still stands (yes, you can visit it). This is the famous Humpback Covered Bridge near Covington, Virginia. I love the curving style here on Virginia’s oldest covered bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpback_Covered_Bridge
They sure don’t make ‘em like these anymore.
References were included within the text. Images are public domain unless otherwise credited above. For a more complete list of covered bridges throughout the world, please have a look at this comprehensive list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_covered_bridges .