Why are Covered Bridges Covered?

Why are those covered bridges covered? Jack and Sue Drafahl answer this and other burning questions in an article entitled: Covering the Covered Bridges. Here is an excerpt:

"There are a great many old wives' tales as to why there are covered bridges. Among the most common tale is how the roofs keep the snow off, so the steeper the better. Or did you hear the one about the bridges being built to resemble barns to make the horses comfortable? Besides, everybody in those days knew how to build a barn, so they didn't have any trouble building a bridge. Some believed the builders covered the bridges to keep the taxpayers from seeing the shoddy workmanship under the wooden shell. Others felt that the bridges were designed for travelers caught in storms."

"The actual truth to it all is that the bridges were covered to protect the wooden trusses that held the bridge together. If the trusses were left to the sun, wind, and rain, the life expectancy was about ten years. When they were covered, their life span increased tenfold."

So, there you have it! That's why they covered them....did you guess this? Have you seen this month's featured bridge?

Covered Bridge Resources

If you need directions, our Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer will help you find the bridges. In fact, it has an entire section on covered bridges. See Ed Barna's Covered Bridges of Vermont for more details and driving/parking tips or check-out the illustrated map and guide, Vermont Covered Bridges Map and Guide by Robert Hartnett and Ed Barna. Joseph C. Nelson's book, Spanning Time: Vermont's Covered Bridges, is also a good reference book on covered bridges. (All are available in our Country Bookstore)

Vermont Scenic Calendars, Collection of Twelve Vermont Prints and Vermont Fall Foliage Puzzles -- enjoy Vermont every day of the year! For the armchair traveler, check-out our Vermont Videos - featuring some of Vermont's finest covered bridges.