Vermont Covered Bridges: Romantic "Courting Bridges"

  
Photo: Copyright 1998 Richard St. Peter

Covered bridges symbolize small-town America. Something from the nineteenth century, picturesque and sentimental, "kissing bridges" or "courting bridges" recall a time when life was simpler. Join us as we explore many of the 107 covered bridges that dot the Vermont countryside. If you're wondering why they're called "kissing bridges" or why those covered bridges are covered, follow the links on the left to help you discover the answers.

Featured Covered Bridge of the Month

We visit a different bridge every month!

If you missed some of the other bridges, please see our Index of Covered Bridges.

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)

Need a Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer  or  The Vermont Life Guide to Fall Foliage to help plan this season's foliage trip? We have just what you need. We also recommend MapQuest if you would like a quick on-line source for customized maps, driving directions and points of interest.  Or for the armchair traveler, check-out our Vermont Videos and  Vermont Calendars and Scenic Note cards and Note Cubes in three designs.

Make a Wish While Crossing a Covered Bridge

Photos: Copyright 2000 Dave MacKenzie

Want to make sure a covered-bridge wish comes true? Follow the advice offered by Jean Davies in a Pittsford town history: "Make your wish before entering the bridge; lift your feet off the floor of your vehicle, take a deep breath, and say, 'Bunny, bunny, bunny, bunny . . ' all the way through the bridge while thinking of your wish; then, upon coming out the other side, say "Rabbit!" Try it and let us know if your wish comes true!

We leave you with this poem about covered bridges

UNTITLED
"What stories could these bridges tell
If they could only talk?
They'd tell us of the ones who rode
And those who had to walk,
The rich, the poor.....those in-between
Who used their planks to cross,
The soldiers, farmers, businessmen
In buggies, sleighs, by "hoss",
Like sentinels these bridges stand
In spite of flood and fire,
Their rugged, stalwart strength remains
Our future to inspire."

Unknown

Howard, Andrew R., Covered Bridges of Massachusetts, a guide, The Village Press, Unionville, Connecticut, 1978.