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Spanning New York State
Covered Bridge News

By Bob and Trish Kane

Update on Historic Hyde Hall Covered Bridge

Hyde Hall Covered Bridge

NY-39-01 - Hyde Hall As some of you may have heard, the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge, the oldest existing Covered Bridge in the United States, is badly in need of a new roof. Currently, there is one particular area where you can actually see the sky! As we are all aware, this is not good and irreversible damage to the truss work will happen if this isn't repaired quickly. Park officials are aware of the problem and plans are underway to do a "temporary" fix to the roof until funding for a new roof can be approved by the state.

Covered Spans of Yesteryear - Be sure to check out the Calendar of Events on lostbridges.org. Special thanks to those who have sent in your upcoming meeting dates, events and newsletter deadlines for your groups. It is so helpful to have all of this information in one calendar for everyone to view. However, be sure to check it often for updates and changes before you make your travel plans.

Other news…
For those Covered Bridge enthusiasts who are also Covered Bridge Patch Collectors you will be pleased to learn that there is a new book available with a wonderful compilation of all the known Covered Bridge patches known to exist to the author. Approximately 460 Police, Fire, EMS, Scout and Souvenir patches have been well documented in this collection. Included is a color photo of each patch along with all the pertinent information known regarding the patch such as: description, type of patch, colors, and approximate size. Pages are separated by state tabs and within each tab, separated by Police, Fire and EMS, then by Scout and Souvenir patches. Other tabs include: Foreign, Canada and State Not Known. These pages have been inserted into a quality loose leaf binder so updates can easily be inserted. This is a great way for Covered Bridge Patch collector's to keep track of their own personal inventory of Covered Bridge Patches as well as knowing what patches they don't have. For more information on how you can obtain a copy, contact us at bobtrish68@frontiernet.net

It has been a while since we updated you on the progress of the center and we have some exciting news to share with you.

First, we now have floor plans for the center! It is so exciting to finally see just what the center will look like. We recently sent copies of these plans to the Presidents of each Covered Bridge group, but feel free to contact us if you would like your own personal copies and we'll be happy to send them to you.

As part of the plans, there is a special, climate controlled, designated area that will hold the rare collections that need special storage consideration, such as photographs, slides and postcards. Plans also include the placement of numerous bookshelves that will house the vast collection of covered bridge books and newsletters so generously donated by the various Covered Bridge Societies. The main display case, a very important feature of the center, will house the rotating display of various covered bridge models donated by the National Society.

The center is part of phase four of the Library's recently initiated rehabilitation. It is hoped that renovations to the actual center itself will begin in the fall of 2010, but additional funding is still very much needed. The estimated cost of the center has been established at $50,000. Due to the present economic climate, several grant applications applied for were denied. There just isn't enough money for foundations to fill all incoming requests, but we are still applying for those whose qualifications we meet. We continue to look for a group or individual(s) who might be interested in matching donations to the center.

We would also like to share with you that on Sunday, June 13, 2010, the New York State Covered Bridge Society will host their June meeting at the Oxford Memorial Library. This will be a special meeting held in the Library's new Community Center Meeting Room which is absolutely gorgeous, and gives us a hint as to what the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center will look like. At that time, Fred Lanfear, President of the Oxford Historical Society, and Bob and I will update the group on the progress of the center and share the floor plans with the group. This will be an exciting meeting and all Covered Bridge Enthusiasts are invited to attend.

If you haven't already done so, we would again encourage you to consider a gift to the center. As previously mentioned, donors gifting $1,000 or more will have their names prominently listed on a donor's plaque displayed in the center, but no gift is too small. You can also designate your gift for a special area such as funding for a computer, scanner, bookshelves, or other expense, or you might create a memorial or honorary gift in memory of a covered bridge friend or loved one. The possibilities are endless, and each donation will assist in furnishing the room in some important way.

If you are unable to make a monetary donation, rest assured there are other ways you can help. We welcome donations of covered bridge materials, such as newsletters, photographs, slides, postcards, or models. Whenever possible, these donations will be identified with the donor's name. Those interested in donating such materials may contact us at bobtrish68@frontiernet.net or by phone at 607-674-9656.

Please, seriously consider a monetary gift to the center and assist us in this exciting endeavor. Whatever amount you can afford will be most appreciated and put to good use. To donate, specify that you want your donation used specifically for the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center and mail your gift directly to the Oxford Memorial Library, PO Box 552, Oxford, NY 13830.

We will keep you informed as the center progresses. Meanwhile, a special thanks to each of you who have already made a donation to the center. It is very much appreciated.

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