Covered bridges were built to protect their timber trusses from rain and snow, and the ones that survive have outlasted floods, fires and the arrival of the interstate. Several hold national records, and a few still carry traffic. Here are twelve historic covered bridges in America that are worth a detour, from New England river crossings to an Iowa movie star.
1. Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge: Two states, one wooden landmark
The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge crosses the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont, and was completed in 1866, according to its National Register nomination published by the Connecticut River Joint Commissions. It is the fourth bridge on the site after floods took the others.
Builder James Tasker, who could neither read nor write, adapted the Town lattice truss using heavy six-by-eight timbers. The bridge measures about 450 feet, and its longer span stretches 204.6 feet. It ran as a private toll bridge until 1935 and still carries two-way traffic.