newyork.news.090201

Spanning New York State
Covered Bridge News

By Bob and Trish Kane

Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center Update      First, I would like to begin by thanking the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges for donating duplicate copies of books and a complete set of the National Society's newsletters. This is absolutely fabulous! They also donated the Lee Ann Wetzel collection to the Center. This material was recently delivered to the Oxford Memorial Library and staff members were very excited to accept their very first donation to the Center. We have also received a donation of resource material from Shirley Wallstrom in honor of her mother, Madelene Brown, a 1939 graduate of the Oxford Academy. And just recently, Joseph Conwill and Phil Pierce both donated a copy of their books as well. A bookplate has been adhered to the front cover of each book noting the donor, as will all future book donations. A special thanks to each of these individuals for donating this wonderful resource material to the Center. Those interested in donating materials may contact Trish Kane, bobtrish68@frontiernet.net or by phone at 607-674-9656. Monetary donations may also be made directly to the library, but be sure to specify that you want the funds to be used specifically for the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center, if that is your wish. Donations can be mailed to: Oxford Memorial Library, Attention: Nancy Wilcox, PO Box 552, Oxford, NY 13830.

Trish Kane standing by historical marker and entrance to the new parking area. Photo by Shirley Ward, Milan, Ohio

Update on Historic Hyde Hall Covered Bridge
     For anyone who has not visited the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge in a while, exciting news! You no longer have to park in the Bath House parking lot and walk to the Covered Bridge. Parks officials have kindly added a wonderful parking area where the small driveway to the bridge used to be. If you dared to park there, you risked getting a ticket. This is no longer the case. You can now enter that same driveway and bear to your left and park in the new parking area. It is big enough to accommodate about 4 vehicles. This is really great news. From this parking area, it is just a short walk to see the oldest existing covered bridge in the United States. Be sure to thank Parks Manager, Rick Sheckells, for being so accommodating. He will appreciate knowing his hard work in getting the parking area established is appreciated.

Beaverkill – NY-53-02 The Beaverkill Covered Bridge, one of only 33 covered bridges in New York State, will soon be upgraded with a $72,000 federal grant. The funding will repair the wood drain on the north approach; repair both the north and south side ramps including the replacement of steel stringers and decking; improve the repair of the south stone abutment inclusion of stone chinking and additional grouting; replace the wood deck as needed; replace lower deck boards; and apply pesticide and fungicide. Congressman Maurice Hinchey announced the federal grant.

Delaware

Wooddale – DE-02-03 The Delaware Department of Transportation finished work on the Wooddale Covered Bridge and it reopened on Dec. 15. This bridge was washed off its abutments by Tropical Storm Henri in 2003. Reconstruction of the bridge began on Sept. 4, 2007, by Middletown contractor Mumford & Miller Concrete, Inc., which finished the project for $3.374 million. What is really interesting is that this bridge was rebuilt using Bongossi wood, a super-strong type of African timber that was also used to make repairs on the Ashland Covered Bridge. It was reconstructed to match its historic dimensions, but the roadway was raised 5 feet to guard against future flooding. The portal was also enlarged to allow emergency vehicles to cross the bridge. A retaining wall was installed as part of the project to stabilize the constantly eroding roadside of Rolling Mill Road.

     The Woodland Covered Bridge is one of three remaining covered bridges in Delaware, including Ashland Covered Bridge – DE-02-02 in Yorklyn, and Smith Bridge – DE-02-01 #2 in Centreville. All three have been reconstructed.

Massachusetts

Gilbertsville/Ware – MA-08-04/14-01 The 137-foot Gilbertsville/Ware Covered Bridge, closed since 2002, has fallen into disrepair and has been the target of vandals for years. Area residents will be asked to approve temporary property easements that will allow bidding on a $3.3 million restoration and reconstruction project on the 121-year-old bridge that connects Old Gilbertville Road in neighboring Ware to Route 32 in Hardwick. Upgrades include a fire suppression and detection system. If voters approve, work on the bridge could start in the spring. The selectmen in Hardwick and Ware have approved a color concept that will include the natural wood on the bridge's sides, red at each end and green on the roof. A barn red and possibly a forest or hunter green is likely. The roof will be a standing-seam aluminum construction, which will have elevated ridges of about four inches at its seams to keep them tight and help with drainage.

     Members of the New Hampshire-based Graton family, which is renowned for its expertise about covered bridges, were working on the closed bridge. The Graton's have been approached about joining in their efforts to help replace lattice truss members and bottom cord members.

Chester H. Waterous – MA-09-01 #2 Built in 1963, the Chester H. Waterous Covered Bridge is gone, leaving just the twin stone piers and the newly constructed aluminum pedestrian-utility bridge in its place. Plans are to replace the bridge with a new covered bridge which will be built off-site, probably in upstate New York. The bridge will be built, disassembled, shipped and reassembled at the river, probably next summer. S&R Construction of Lowell was awarded the bid for the bridge work on Aug. 28.

     Local resident David Pease has created a Web site to track progress: http://www.pepperellinfo.net/coveredbridge and to display his photographs of the project's progress.

Michigan

Langley Covered Bridge – MI-75-01 The Langley Covered Bridge has been closed since the first week in September, but re-opened January 2, 2009 despite its $750,000 restoration not being fully complete. During a wind storm in late December, heavy winds gusting up to 58 mph tore away portions of the metal roof at the north end and center of the bridge. Regardless, the integrity of the bridge was not compromised and it is structurally sound to handle traffic. Spring work will include securing the roof and adding a second coat of paint to the sides of the bridge.

New Hampshire

Bath Covered Bridge – NH-05-03 The Bath Covered Bridge will be receiving $2.3 million from the federal government to repair and renovate the Bath Village Covered Bridge. The project involves a big makeover for the bridge, such as replacing the metal roof and deteriorated rafters, cross beams, and other components. A laminated timber arch will be installed to increase load capacity and trusses will be realigned. A fire protection system also will be installed.

Ohio

Photo coutesy of Tom Walczak

Smolen-Gulf Covered Bridge – OH-04-64 This bridge is truly magnificent and measures 613 feet making it the longest covered bridge in the United States, but falls a few feet short of the 1,282-foot structure in Hartland, New Brunswick, Canada.

     The new bridge cost $8 million, $5 million of which came from federal funds. Rep. Steven LaTourette played an important role in helping the county secure federal money for the project.

     Although it took two years to build, it was first conceived back in 1995, when John Smolen was Ashtabula County engineer. Smolen, affectionately referred to as, "Mr. Covered Bridge," envisioned straightening the approach to the dangerous gulf on State Road and building a covered bridge across the resulting 600-foot-long gap. "John always had a dedication to preservation of covered bridges," said Tim Martin, Ashtabula County engineer. "He had the foresight of understanding what bridges mean to the future of the county."

     It seems fitting that Smolen's name would be connected to the bridge, which replaced a steel span built in 1948. That span replaced a covered bridge that stood in the gulf for more than eight decades, and the new bridge's name reflects both that history and Smolen's work as the designer and structural engineer of the new span. Smolen was one of the first to ride across the bridge at its dedication on August 26, 2008. "This is a great honor to me," Smolen said after the banner was unfurled to reveal the bridge's name. "I couldn't ask for a better honor in my career."

Oregon

Chambers Covered Bridge – OR-20-40 The Chamber's Covered Railroad Bridge received national honors when the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program selected it as one of 16 restoration projects in the country. Cottage Grove will receive more $1,315,300 to replace old parts and turn the historic landmark into a bicycle and pedestrian bridge. The Chambers Railroad Bridge is the only remaining covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi River. Built in 1925 to transport logs across the Coast Fork Willamette River to a sawmill, the bridge was in operation from 1925 to 1951. In the 1950's the bridge was abandoned when the railroad was sold for scrap. It was privately owned until December 2006, when the City of Cottage Grove purchased it. Work is set to begin this summer and expected to be completed in 2010.

Pennsylvania (Good news/bad news)

Good News!! West Paden – PA-19-12 Thanks to Tom Walczak, President of the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Society of Pennsylvania for sending along these exciting photos of the new West Paden Covered Bridge.

Bad news!! Gudgeonville – PA-25-03 Special thanks again to Tom for sharing these sad photos with us. The Gudgeonville Covered Bridge was arsoned on November 8, 2008.

     Girard Township supervisors selected Schwartz Construction from Conneaut, Ohio, to demolish the ruins of the bridge which began Monday, January 26, 2009. Schwartz Construction was not only asked to raze the fire-scarred remains of the bridge, but also to salvage main timbers from the bridge deck and move them to the township building where they will be kept until they decide what to do with them. They hope to possibly use some of these timbers for other projects in the township. A temporary bridge will be constructed within the next few months.

     On December 17, police charged two men with pouring gasoline on the bridge and setting the fire. Joshua M. Bell, 21, of Albion, and Jeffrey A. Gleason, 23, of Conneautville, burned the bridge "for fun," according to police. Jeffrey Gleason is being held on $500,000 bond. The other suspect in the case, Joshua M. Bell, is in the Erie County Prison on $500,000 bond on charges of arson and related crimes associated with burning the bridge.

Virginia

     The covered White's Bridge that once spanned the width of the Pigg River near Veterans' Memorial Park in Rocky Mount has been rebuilt in miniature and is now a valuable addition to the Franklin County History Museum's collection, thanks to Marty Wyatt of Terre Haute, Ind. This miniature bridge was built by Wyatt, who is a member of the Virginia Covered Bridge Society. Wyatt made the presentation on behalf of the Covered Bridge Society of Virginia and its founder, 82-year-old Leola Pierce, a retired engineer with the Virginia Department of Transportation. Wyatt builds and donates the bridges as a way to spark interest in locating, gathering photographs and information to help preserve the history of old covered bridges. He has built 23 covered bridges since he started and plans to make models of the Hales Ford covered bridge. Wyatt stresses the importance of historical society members and residents of the county to try to find old photographs of covered bridges. "We need to find old photographs of these bridges and talk to the people who know about them before all these people are gone," he said. "It's bad when we get pictures and there's no one left who can identify them or who can recall any of their history.
{Editor's note: For more information on Virginia's past and present covered bridges, visit the Covered Spans of yesteryear website: http://www.lostbridges.org

Canada - New Brunswick

Stone Ridge/Keswick River #6 – NB-15-08 District 2, Royal Canadian Mounted Police are close to concluding its investigation into the burning last fall of the Stone Ridge Covered Bridge. A RCMP spokesperson said this week that a conclusion is close. The bridge, which crossed the Keswick River and connected the communities of Stone Ridge and Morehouse Corner for nearly 100 years, was destroyed by arson Oct. 10, 2008. Sadly, there are no plans to replace it.

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