Covered bridge
Encyclopedia
A covered bridge is a bridge
with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides. Mainly associated with the 19th century, covered bridges often serve as prominent local landmarks and have long attracted the attention of historic preservation
ists.
The enclosure acts as weather protection over the working part of the structure. For example, a bridge built entirely out of wood, without any protective coating, may last 10 to 15 years. Builders discovered that if the bridge's underpinnings were protected with a roof, the bridge could stand for 70 or even 80 years. Existing covered bridges have been renovated using concrete footings and steel trusses to hold additional weight and to replace the original support timbers. Some covered bridges, such as the ones in Newton Falls, Ohio
and Elizabethton, Tennessee
, also feature an integrated covered walkway.
Most wooden covered bridges employ trusses
as their key structural design element. A popular design was the Brown truss
, known for its simplicity; but others were also used.
Given the ready availability of steel, concrete, and other modern construction materials, most modern covered bridges are built either for the convenience of the user, rather than to protect the structure itself, or as a statement of style or design.
Many of the oldest bridges were built as post-and-pile
construction. This is commonly seen in stone construction, where column
s (piles) are used to support spans (posts) covering open spaces. The Kapellbrücke
in Lucerne is an example. A modern example is the Covered Bridge, Lovech
, which uses stone piers and steel beams. Many older bridges were built using an arch
. The Ponte Coperto
in Italy and the Ponte Vecchio
in Florence, Italy, are examples. As bridge needs increased in North America, designs turned to available material, wood. In order to cover the spans needed, truss design was extended and improved. Eleven major trusses were used during the period of wood construction.
Standard Truss Types The earliest covered bridges used the simple King post and Queen post design. These had been traditional truss types for building construction. Older bridges along the east coast are often dominated by King and Queen post designs. Beginning around 1820, new designs were being developed.
New truss designs allowed for longer crossings and heavier loads. The Long truss is common through Alabama.
Truss types commonly mentioned today, are primarily steel bridges. This includes the Pratt
, Parker
, Pennsylvania
, and Baltimore.
The Western tradition of covered bridges originated in Europe
.
Surviving or reconstructed European covered bridges include:
Famous stone covered bridges include the Rialto Bridge
in Venice
, Italy
which for long was one of only three over the Grand Canal and a popular tourist attraction.
The Bridges of Sighs in Venice
, Cambridge
and Oxford
are also covered bridges.
Such bridges are found in rural areas throughout the United States and Canada
, but are often threatened by arson
ists, vandals
, and flood
ing. In the United States, Pennsylvania has more covered bridges (over 200) than any other state, many of which can be seen in Bedford, Somerset, Washington
, Chester
and Lancaster Counties
. The U.S. states of Vermont
and New Hampshire
have more covered bridges per square mile than any other place in the world. Oregon has the largest number of historical covered bridges in the western United States. They are also common in places such as Elizabethton, Tennessee
; Lane County, Oregon
; Madison County, Iowa
; Parke County, Indiana
; and Blount County, Alabama
. Parts of California
, Indiana
, Ohio
, Michigan
, Kentucky
, Maryland
, Minnesota
, Virginia
, West Virginia
, Wisconsin
, and the New England
states have surviving covered bridges.
There are various structural designs used for covered bridges, such as the Burr Truss
.
Opened on July 4, 1901, the 1282 feet (390.8 m) Hartland Bridge
, crossing the Saint John River at Hartland, New Brunswick
, is the longest covered bridge in the world. It is a national historic site. In 1900, New Brunswick
had an estimated 400 covered bridges, and Quebec
more than 1,000, while Ontario
had only five. , there were 94 covered bridges still standing in Quebec, 65 in New Brunswick, and one in Ontario, the West Montrose Covered Bridge.
A much longer covered bridge (5960 feet (1,816.6 m)) between Columbia
and Wrightsville, Pennsylvania
once spanned the mile-wide Susquehanna River
, making it the longest and most versatile covered bridge in the world during its existence. It featured railroad tracks, a towpath for canal boats crossing the river between two canals on either bank, and a carriage/wagon/pedestrian road. The popular toll bridge was burned June 28, 1863, by Union
militia
during the American Civil War
to prevent its usage by the Confederate
Army of Northern Virginia
during the Gettysburg Campaign
. A replacement wooden covered bridge was destroyed by a windstorm a few years later. It was rebuilt as an open-air steel bridge
.
Currently, the longest existing covered bridge in the United States is the Smolen-Gulf Bridge (613 feet (186.8 m)) spanning the Ashtabula River
near Ashtabula, Ohio
, which was completed in 2008. Prior to its completion, the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge
(449 feet (136.9 m)) connecting Cornish, New Hampshire
and Windsor, Vermont
built in 1866, was the longest. The shortest is the West Liberty Covered Bridge
(18 feet (5.5 m)) in Geneva, Ohio
.
The town of Blenheim, New York
had the longest single-span covered bridge in the world (232 feet (70.7 m)). Built in 1855, it was later destroyed on August 29th, 2011 due to flooding from Hurricane Irene. It was one of only six "double-barreled" covered bridges in North America; that is, a bridge with two traffic lanes separated by a supporting truss. There are other double-barreled bridges in Vermont (2), Ohio (1), Indiana (1), and West Virginia (1).
Covered bridges are generally considered old-fashioned and appeal to tourists.
In Asia, covered bridges are most prevalent in China
, where they are called lángqiáo (廊桥). There are many covered bridges, called "wind and rain bridges" in the Chinese province of Guizhou
. These were traditionally built by the Dong
minority people. There are also many covered bridges in the Fujian
province of southern China.
Taishun County
, in southern Zhejiang
province near the border of Fujian
, has more than 900 covered bridges, many of them hundreds of years old, as well as a covered bridge museum. There are also a number in nearby Qingyuan County
, as well as in Shouning County, in northern Fujian province. The Xijin Bridge
in Zhejiang is one of the largest.
There is a well known covered bridge in Hoi An
, Vietnam
(in the Quang Nam Province
of Vietnam's South Central Coast
), called Chùa Cầu—the Japanese Bridge.
, or in a shopping center on an elevated level, crossing a road. See also skyway
.
Glass-walled covered bridges are rather common at American airports, and some of those bridges can be found at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City
.
Also, some highway bridges, such as the George Washington Bridge
, have lower decks for additional capacity, and those decks, while generally open on the sides, can be enclosed with plastic from time to time during construction, thus rendering the lower decks as partially covered bridges.
The Bloor-Danforth subway in Toronto
, Ontario, crosses the Rosedale Ravine on a covered bridge made of concrete.
North American covered bridges received much recognition as a result of the success of the novel, The Bridges of Madison County
written by Robert James Waller
and made into a Hollywood motion picture starring Meryl Streep
and Clint Eastwood
. The Roseman covered bridge from 1883 in Iowa became famous when it was featured in both the novel and the film.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides. Mainly associated with the 19th century, covered bridges often serve as prominent local landmarks and have long attracted the attention of historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
ists.
The enclosure acts as weather protection over the working part of the structure. For example, a bridge built entirely out of wood, without any protective coating, may last 10 to 15 years. Builders discovered that if the bridge's underpinnings were protected with a roof, the bridge could stand for 70 or even 80 years. Existing covered bridges have been renovated using concrete footings and steel trusses to hold additional weight and to replace the original support timbers. Some covered bridges, such as the ones in Newton Falls, Ohio
Newton Falls, Ohio
Newton Falls is a city located within Newton Township in Trumbull County, Ohio in the United States. The population was 5,002 at the 2000 census...
and Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton is the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is also the historical site both of the first independent American government located west of both the Eastern Continental Divide and the original thirteen British American colonies.Elizabethton is also the...
, also feature an integrated covered walkway.
Construction
Early bridges were often made of wood, especially where it was a plentiful resource. Wooden bridges tended to deteriorate rapidly from exposure to the elements, having a useful lifespan of only nine years. Covering them protected their structural members, thus extending their life to 80 years or more.Most wooden covered bridges employ trusses
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
as their key structural design element. A popular design was the Brown truss
Brown truss
A Brown truss is a type of bridge truss, used in covered bridges. It is noted for its economical use of materials and is named after the inventor, Josiah Brown Jr., of Buffalo, New York, who patented it July 7, 1857 as US patent 17,722.-Description:...
, known for its simplicity; but others were also used.
Given the ready availability of steel, concrete, and other modern construction materials, most modern covered bridges are built either for the convenience of the user, rather than to protect the structure itself, or as a statement of style or design.
Many of the oldest bridges were built as post-and-pile
Span (architecture)
Span is the distance between two intermediate supports for a structure, e.g. a beam or a bridge.A span can be closed by a solid beam or of a rope...
construction. This is commonly seen in stone construction, where column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s (piles) are used to support spans (posts) covering open spaces. The Kapellbrücke
Kapellbrücke
The Chapel Bridge is a covered wooden footbridge spanning diagonally across the Reuss River in the city of Lucerne in central Switzerland. Named after the nearby St. Peter's Chapel, the bridge is unique since it contains a number of interior paintings dating back to the 17th century, although many...
in Lucerne is an example. A modern example is the Covered Bridge, Lovech
Covered Bridge, Lovech
The Covered Bridge is, as the name suggests, a covered bridge in the town of Lovech, Bulgaria. The bridge crosses the Osam River, connecting the old and new town parts of Lovech, being possibly the most recognisable symbol of the town....
, which uses stone piers and steel beams. Many older bridges were built using an arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
. The Ponte Coperto
Ponte Coperto
The Ponte Coperto "covered bridge" is a brick and stone arch bridge over the Ticino River in Pavia, Italy.-History:...
in Italy and the Ponte Vecchio
Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio is a Medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers...
in Florence, Italy, are examples. As bridge needs increased in North America, designs turned to available material, wood. In order to cover the spans needed, truss design was extended and improved. Eleven major trusses were used during the period of wood construction.
Standard Truss Types The earliest covered bridges used the simple King post and Queen post design. These had been traditional truss types for building construction. Older bridges along the east coast are often dominated by King and Queen post designs. Beginning around 1820, new designs were being developed.
- King PostKing postA king post is a central vertical supporting post used in architectural, bridge, or aircraft design applications.-Architecture:...
, most of the remaining covered bridges in Virginia are either King post or Queen post designs. See: List of Virginia covered bridges- Curved Multiple Kings Post, an example adopted by local conditions is the Humpback Covered BridgeHumpback Covered BridgeThe Humpback Covered Bridge located in the U.S. state of Virginia, is one of the few remaining covered bridges in the United States that was built higher in the middle than on either end; hence the name of "humpback". The bridge was built in 1857 and is also the oldest remaining covered bridge in...
in Virginia. It is a curved truss using the King post design.
- Curved Multiple Kings Post, an example adopted by local conditions is the Humpback Covered Bridge
- Queen postQueen postA queen post is a supporting post designed to span longer openings than a king post. A king post uses one central supporting post, whereas the queen post uses two.-Architecture:...
, most Queen posts are in New England, with a few on the west coast. It is also a common design used for non-covered steel bridges.
New truss designs allowed for longer crossings and heavier loads. The Long truss is common through Alabama.
- Long, 1830 Most long truss bridges are in Ohio, New York, and New Hampshire. Others can be found elsewhere in the United States.
- Lattice Truss (Town’s lattice), 1820 and 1835. Ashtabula County, Ohio has several lattice truss bridges remaining. The longest Town lattice and before 2006, the longest wooden covered bridge is the Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge in New Hampshire, spanning the Connecticut River. It is 449 feet (136.9 m) long. Vermont has a large number of lattice bridges still standing. See: List of Ashtabula County covered bridges and List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Vermont
- Burr Arch Truss, 1840. Parke County, Indiana has the largest concentration of covered bridges, 35, in the United States. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania has 29 covered bridges, the most in a Pennsylvania County. The majority of both counties covered bridges are Burr arch designs. See: Parke County Covered BridgesParke County Covered BridgesThe covered bridges of Parke County are well-known tourist attractions in Parke County, Indiana, United States, which touts itself as the "Covered Bridge Capital of the World". The county has more covered bridges than any other county in the United States...
and List of covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Howe, 1840 The Howe truss is most common in the west and far west. It is found through Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and California.
- BrownBrown trussA Brown truss is a type of bridge truss, used in covered bridges. It is noted for its economical use of materials and is named after the inventor, Josiah Brown Jr., of Buffalo, New York, who patented it July 7, 1857 as US patent 17,722.-Description:...
, 1857. The only remaining examples appear to be located in Kent and Ionia Counties, Michigan. They include the Ada Covered BridgeAda Covered BridgeThe Ada Covered Bridge is a span Brown truss covered bridge erected in 1867 in Ada, Michigan, United States. Carrying Bronson Street across the Thornapple River, it is located just south of where the Thornapple enters the Grand River, in turn just south of M-21...
, the Fallasburg BridgeFallasburg BridgeFallasburg Bridge is a span Brown truss covered bridge, erected in 1871 in Vergennes Township, Michigan, United States, north of Lowell on the Flat River. Carrying Covered Bridge Road across the Flat, it is located in the Fallasburg Historical District south of Whites Bridge and Smyrna...
, and Whites BridgeWhites BridgeWhites Bridge is a 120-foot span Brown truss covered bridge, erected in 1869 in Keene Township, Michigan, United States, near Smyrna on the Flat River. Carrying Whites Bridge Road across the Flat, it is located north of the Fallasburg Bridge and south of Smyrna... - PartridgeTruss bridgeA truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
truss is a common design in Ohio, such as in the Bergstresser Covered Bridge - Childs truss, about 1860’s. All known examples are located in Ohio. See: List of Ohio covered bridges
- Post, mid-19th century. The Post truss design in nearly gone. Only two known iron variants survive, one covered combination truss variant, the Bell Ford BridgeBell Ford BridgeThe Bell Ford Post Patented Diagonal "Combination Bridge", often simply called the Bell Ford Bridge or Bell Ford Covered Bridge, is a dilapidated covered bridge located in Jackson County, Indiana, northwest of Seymour, Indiana...
has been dismantled and is in storage awaiting rebuilding. - Smith Type IV TrussTruss bridgeA truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
predominate in Ohio and Indiana. Western Pennsylvania and northern Kentucky each have one and two, respectively. See: Cataract Falls Covered Bridge, Indiana; Byer Covered Bridge, Ohio; Wheeling Covered Bridge, Indiana
- The McCallum TrussDaniel McCallumDaniel Craig McCallum was a railroad engineer and manager.McCallum was born in Scotland in 1815. In 1822 his family emigrated to New York when he was still a boy. In Rochester he spend a few years at elementary school, and didn't follow his fathers footsteps to become a tailor...
. The only remaining bridge in the world using this truss is the Percy Covered BridgePowerscourt Covered BridgeThe Powerscourt Covered Bridge, alternately known as the "Percy Covered Bridge" spans the Chateauguay River, between the municipalities of Elgin and Hinchinbrooke, in SouthWest Quebec.- Overview :...
at Powerscourt, Quebec, Canada. The McCallum inflexible arched truss was designed by Daniel McCallumDaniel McCallumDaniel Craig McCallum was a railroad engineer and manager.McCallum was born in Scotland in 1815. In 1822 his family emigrated to New York when he was still a boy. In Rochester he spend a few years at elementary school, and didn't follow his fathers footsteps to become a tailor...
for railways in North America. With the advent of steel construction, all of these wooden railroad bridges were eventually torn down, except the Percy Bridge, built in 1861. It is the oldest covered bridge in Canada.
Truss types commonly mentioned today, are primarily steel bridges. This includes the Pratt
Pratt
Pratt is a surname, which may refer to any of the people listed below. There is also a page listing people named John Pratt.- Literature and the arts :...
, Parker
Parker
Parker may refer to people with first name Parker or the surname Parker.-Place names in the United States:*Parker, Arizona*Parker, Colorado*Parker, Florida*Parker, Idaho*Parker, Kansas*Parker, Pennsylvania*Parker, South Carolina*Parker, South Dakota...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and Baltimore.
Covered bridges in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Surviving or reconstructed European covered bridges include:
- Ponte CopertoPonte CopertoThe Ponte Coperto "covered bridge" is a brick and stone arch bridge over the Ticino River in Pavia, Italy.-History:...
over the river Ticino, PaviaPaviaPavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, built 1354 (picture) - Bridge over the river Rhine from Bad SäckingenBad SäckingenBad Säckingen is a rural town in the administrative district of Waldshut in the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is famous as the "Trumpeteer's City" because of the book "The Trumpeteer of Säckingen", a famous 19th century novel by German author Joseph Victor von Scheffel.- Geography :Bad...
, Germany, to Stein, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(picture), first built before 1272, destroyed and re-built many times. - Bridge over the river Muota, BrunnenBrunnenBrunnen is a resort on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, part of the municipality Ingenbohl , at .Brunnen has a cablecar that goes to the Urmiberg, a part of the Rigi offering wonderful views of Lake Lucerne and the Alps....
, near Lake LucerneLake LucerneLake Lucerne is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country.The lake has a complicated shape, with bends and arms reaching from the city of Lucerne into the mountains. It has a total area of 114 km² , an elevation of 434 m , and a maximum depth of 214 m . Its volume is 11.8...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(picture) - Bridge over the river Saane/SarineSaane/SarineSaane or Sarine is one of the largest rivers in Switzerland. It is 128 km long and has a drainage area of 1,892 km². It is a tributary of the river Aar...
, near FribourgFribourgFribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(picture) - KapellbrückeKapellbrückeThe Chapel Bridge is a covered wooden footbridge spanning diagonally across the Reuss River in the city of Lucerne in central Switzerland. Named after the nearby St. Peter's Chapel, the bridge is unique since it contains a number of interior paintings dating back to the 17th century, although many...
, in LucerneLucerneLucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Switzerland — 204 metres (669.3 ft) long, originally built 1333; destroyed by fire 1993 and rebuilt - Irgandı, in OsmangaziOsmangaziOsmangazi is the biggest and central city of Bursa Province which is the fourth biggest province in Turkey. With a population of 700.000 it's the 8th biggest city of Turkey as well....
, Turkey 1367 - The Covered BridgeCovered Bridge, LovechThe Covered Bridge is, as the name suggests, a covered bridge in the town of Lovech, Bulgaria. The bridge crosses the Osam River, connecting the old and new town parts of Lovech, being possibly the most recognisable symbol of the town....
in LovechLovechLovech is a town in north-central Bulgaria with a population of 36,296 as of February 2011. It is the administrative centre of the Lovech Province and of the subordinate Lovech Municipality. The town is located about 150 km northeast from the capital city of Sofia...
, BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
— built 1874 - Logic Lane covered bridgeLogic Lane covered bridgeThe Logic Lane covered bridge is a small covered bridge at the High Street end of Logic Lane, within University College, Oxford, England.The bridge was designed by the Oxford architect Harry Wilkinson Moore and was completed in 1904. It links the older Radcliffe Quad buildings with the newer...
in OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England — built 1904 - Pont de Rohan over The River Elorn in LanderneauLanderneauLanderneau is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.It lies at the mouth of the Elorn River which divides the Breton provinces of Cornouaille and Léon, east of Brest...
, BrittanyBrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, France. built 16th 17th century.
Famous stone covered bridges include the Rialto Bridge
Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.- History :...
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
which for long was one of only three over the Grand Canal and a popular tourist attraction.
The Bridges of Sighs in Venice
Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs is a bridge in Venice, northern Italy . The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace...
, Cambridge
Bridge of Sighs (Cambridge)
The Bridge of Sighs in Cambridge is a covered bridge belonging to St John's College of Cambridge University. It was built in 1831 and crosses the River Cam between the college's Third Court and New Court. The architect was Henry Hutchinson....
and Oxford
Bridge of Sighs (Oxford)
Hertford Bridge, popularly known as the Bridge of Sighs, is a skyway over New College Lane in Oxford, England.- Misnomer and myth :The bridge is often referred to as the Bridge of Sighs because of its supposed similarity to the famous Bridge of Sighs in Venice...
are also covered bridges.
Covered bridges in North America
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, but are often threatened by arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
ists, vandals
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
, and flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing. In the United States, Pennsylvania has more covered bridges (over 200) than any other state, many of which can be seen in Bedford, Somerset, Washington
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
, Chester
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
and Lancaster Counties
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. The U.S. states of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
have more covered bridges per square mile than any other place in the world. Oregon has the largest number of historical covered bridges in the western United States. They are also common in places such as Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton is the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is also the historical site both of the first independent American government located west of both the Eastern Continental Divide and the original thirteen British American colonies.Elizabethton is also the...
; Lane County, Oregon
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
; Madison County, Iowa
Madison County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 15,679 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,554 housing units, of which 6,025 were occupied.-2000 census:...
; Parke County, Indiana
Parke County, Indiana
Parke County is a county in the western part of the U.S. state of Indiana. It was formed in 1821 out of a portion of Vigo County. The county seat is Rockville....
; and Blount County, Alabama
Blount County, Alabama
Blount County is a county located in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 57,322. Its county seat is Oneonta.Blount County is a dry county.-History:...
. Parts of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
states have surviving covered bridges.
There are various structural designs used for covered bridges, such as the Burr Truss
Burr Truss
The Burr Arch Truss — or simply Burr Truss or Burr Arch — is a combination of an arch and a multiple kingpost truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridges....
.
Opened on July 4, 1901, the 1282 feet (390.8 m) Hartland Bridge
Hartland Bridge
The Hartland Bridge in Hartland, New Brunswick, is the world's longest covered bridge, at long. It crosses the Saint John River from Hartland to Somerville in Canada. The framework consists of seven small Howe Truss bridges joined together on six piers....
, crossing the Saint John River at Hartland, New Brunswick
Hartland, New Brunswick
Hartland is a town in Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada.Hartland is situated on the Saint John River in the central-western portion of the province in the agricultural heartland of Carleton County. It is the hometown of two of New Brunswick's premiers during the 20th century: Hugh John...
, is the longest covered bridge in the world. It is a national historic site. In 1900, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
had an estimated 400 covered bridges, and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
more than 1,000, while Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
had only five. , there were 94 covered bridges still standing in Quebec, 65 in New Brunswick, and one in Ontario, the West Montrose Covered Bridge.
A much longer covered bridge (5960 feet (1,816.6 m)) between Columbia
Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, once colonial Wright's Ferry, is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg on the left bank Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville and York County. Originally, the area may have been called Conejohela Flats, for the many islands and islets in the...
and Wrightsville, Pennsylvania
Wrightsville, Pennsylvania
Wrightsville is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,310 at the 2010 census. Wrightsville borough has a police department, historic society, and a volunteer fire company.- History :According to a plaque at Samuel S...
once spanned the mile-wide Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
, making it the longest and most versatile covered bridge in the world during its existence. It featured railroad tracks, a towpath for canal boats crossing the river between two canals on either bank, and a carriage/wagon/pedestrian road. The popular toll bridge was burned June 28, 1863, by Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
to prevent its usage by the Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
during the Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
. A replacement wooden covered bridge was destroyed by a windstorm a few years later. It was rebuilt as an open-air steel bridge
Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge (Columbia, Pennsylvania)
The Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge once carried the York Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad across the Susquehanna River between Columbia and Wrightsville, Pennsylvania and is therefore considered a Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge...
.
Currently, the longest existing covered bridge in the United States is the Smolen-Gulf Bridge (613 feet (186.8 m)) spanning the Ashtabula River
Ashtabula River
The Ashtabula River is a river located northeast of Cleveland in Ohio. The river flows into Lake Erie at the city of Ashtabula, Ohio. It is 40 mi in length and drains 137 mi² .-Name:...
near Ashtabula, Ohio
Ashtabula, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,962 people, 8,435 households, and 5,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,775.9 people per square mile . There were 9,151 housing units at an average density of 1,211.8 per square mile...
, which was completed in 2008. Prior to its completion, the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge
Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge
The Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge is a covered bridge that spans the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont. It was the longest covered bridge still standing in the United States until the Smolen–Gulf Bridge opened in Ohio in 2008.While the Old Blenheim Bridge had...
(449 feet (136.9 m)) connecting Cornish, New Hampshire
Cornish, New Hampshire
Cornish is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2010 census. Cornish has three covered bridges. Each August, it is home to the Cornish Fair.-History:...
and Windsor, Vermont
Windsor, Vermont
Windsor is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,756 at the 2000 census.-History:One of the New Hampshire grants, Windsor was chartered as a town on July 6, 1761 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth. It was first settled in August 1764 by Captain Steele Smith and...
built in 1866, was the longest. The shortest is the West Liberty Covered Bridge
West Liberty Covered Bridge
The West Liberty Covered Bridge is a covered bridge which carries West Liberty Street across Cowles Creek in Geneva, Ohio, United States. At , it has been called the shortest covered bridge in the United States...
(18 feet (5.5 m)) in Geneva, Ohio
Geneva, Ohio
Geneva is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The area which would become Geneva was originally settled in 1805, and was incorporated as a city in 1958. It is named after Geneva, New York. The city's population was 6,595 at the 2000 census....
.
The town of Blenheim, New York
Blenheim, New York
Blenheim is a town in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 330 at the 2000 census. The town was named after a land patent, which itself was named after the Battle of Blenheim....
had the longest single-span covered bridge in the world (232 feet (70.7 m)). Built in 1855, it was later destroyed on August 29th, 2011 due to flooding from Hurricane Irene. It was one of only six "double-barreled" covered bridges in North America; that is, a bridge with two traffic lanes separated by a supporting truss. There are other double-barreled bridges in Vermont (2), Ohio (1), Indiana (1), and West Virginia (1).
Covered bridges are generally considered old-fashioned and appeal to tourists.
Covered bridges in Asia
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where they are called lángqiáo (廊桥). There are many covered bridges, called "wind and rain bridges" in the Chinese province of Guizhou
Guizhou
' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...
. These were traditionally built by the Dong
Dong people
The Dong , a Kam–Sui people of southern China, are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. They are famed for their native-bred Kam Sweet Rice , carpentry skills, and unique architecture, in particular a form of covered bridge known as the "wind and rain...
minority people. There are also many covered bridges in the Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
province of southern China.
Taishun County
Taishun County
Taishun County is a county in the prefecture-level city of Wenzhou , in the southern part of Zhejiang province, China, near the border with the Fujian province....
, in southern Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
province near the border of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, has more than 900 covered bridges, many of them hundreds of years old, as well as a covered bridge museum. There are also a number in nearby Qingyuan County
Qingyuan County, Zhejiang
Qingyuan County is a county in Lishui, Zhejiang province, China. Its county seat is located at Songyuan Town .-External links:*...
, as well as in Shouning County, in northern Fujian province. The Xijin Bridge
Xijin Bridge
Xijin Bridge , is an ancient Chinese covered bridge or lángqiáo now located in Yongkang, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, People's republic of China...
in Zhejiang is one of the largest.
There is a well known covered bridge in Hoi An
Hoi An
Hội An , or rarely Faifo, is a city of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is located in Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 120,000 inhabitants...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
(in the Quang Nam Province
Quang Nam Province
Quảng Nam is a province on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bordered by Thua Thien-Huế province to the north, the nation of Laos to the west, Kon Tum Province to the southwest, Quảng Ngãi Province to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east, and the city of Da Nang to the...
of Vietnam's South Central Coast
Nam Trung Bo
Nam Trung Bộ is one of the regions of Vietnam. It consists of the independent municipality of Đà Nẵng and seven other provinces. The two southern provinces Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận are sometimes seen as part of the Southeast region.The region has traditionally been one of the main gateways to...
), called Chùa Cầu—the Japanese Bridge.
Modern covered bridges
Modern covered bridges are usually for pedestrians, for example to walk from one part of an office building to another part, to cross railway tracks at a stationTrain station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
, or in a shopping center on an elevated level, crossing a road. See also skyway
Skyway
In an urban setting, a skyway, catwalk, sky bridge, or skywalk is a type of pedway consisting of an enclosed or covered bridge between two buildings. This protects pedestrians from the weather. These skyways are usually owned by businesses, and are therefore not public spaces...
.
Glass-walled covered bridges are rather common at American airports, and some of those bridges can be found at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Also, some highway bridges, such as the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
, have lower decks for additional capacity, and those decks, while generally open on the sides, can be enclosed with plastic from time to time during construction, thus rendering the lower decks as partially covered bridges.
The Bloor-Danforth subway in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario, crosses the Rosedale Ravine on a covered bridge made of concrete.
Covered bridges in fiction
The Bridges of Madison County
The Bridges of Madison County is a 1992 best-selling novel by Robert James Waller which tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, living in 1960s Madison County, Iowa, who engages in an affair with a National Geographic photographer from Bellingham, Washington who is visiting Madison...
written by Robert James Waller
Robert James Waller
Robert James Waller is an American author, also known for his work as a photographer and musician.-Life:Waller received his B.A. and M.A. from University of Northern Iowa . He received his Ph.D...
and made into a Hollywood motion picture starring Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
and Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
. The Roseman covered bridge from 1883 in Iowa became famous when it was featured in both the novel and the film.
See also
Lists of extant historic covered bridges by U.S. state- List of Alabama covered bridges, 11 bridges
- List of Indiana covered bridges, 98 bridges
- Parke County Covered BridgesParke County Covered BridgesThe covered bridges of Parke County are well-known tourist attractions in Parke County, Indiana, United States, which touts itself as the "Covered Bridge Capital of the World". The county has more covered bridges than any other county in the United States...
, 32 bridges
- Parke County Covered Bridges
- Iowa covered bridges
- List of Madison County Covered Bridges, 6 bridges
- List of Michigan covered bridges, 9 bridges
- List of Missouri covered bridges, 4 bridges
- List of New Hampshire covered bridges, 54 bridges
- List of New York covered bridges, 29 bridges
- List of Ohio covered bridges, 125 bridges
- List of Ashtabula County covered bridges, Ohio; 17 bridges
- List of Oregon covered bridges, 51 bridges
- Pennsylvania covered bridges
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
- Covered Bridges of Bradford, Sullivan and Lycoming CountiesCovered Bridges of Bradford, Sullivan and Lycoming CountiesThe Covered Bridges of Bradford, Sullivan and Lycoming Counties are seven covered bridges in northcentral Pennsylvania in the United States, which were included on the National Register of Historic Places in a Thematic Resources submission on July 24, 1980. One of the bridges is in Bradford...
, Pennsylvania; 7 bridges - List of Lancaster County covered bridges, Pennsylvania; 29 bridges
- List of covered bridges in Vermont, 106 bridges
- List of Virginia covered bridges, 8 bridges
- List of West Virginia covered bridges, 17 bridges
External links
- "The Covered Bridges of Ohio: A Photo Guide"
- List of covered bridges in North America
- "10 great places to cross that covered bridge." USA Today. September 9, 2004.
- Covered Bridges Recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER)
- Covered Bridges of Parke County, Indiana. "Covered Bridge Capital of the World"
- North Carolina Covered Bridges.
- The Ashtabula County (Ohio) Covered Bridge Festival
- Olin's Covered Bridge Museum, Ashtabula, OhioAshtabula, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 20,962 people, 8,435 households, and 5,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,775.9 people per square mile . There were 9,151 housing units at an average density of 1,211.8 per square mile...
- Oregon covered bridges
- Oregon covered bridges supplemental PDF
- Historic Covered Bridges of Pennsylvania.
- Bedford County Pennsylvania Covered Bridges
- "Pennsylvania Dutch" covered bridges.
- Covered Bridges in Tennessee. Tennessee Department of Transportation.
- Existing Covered Bridges in Tennessee.Tennessee Department of Transportation.
- Existing Covered Bridges in Tennessee: Elizabethton Covered Bridge. Tennessee Department of Transportation.
- Doe River Covered Bridge at Elizabethton, Tennessee
- Vermont covered bridges. VirtualVermont.com
- Covered bridge driving tours and pictorial essays — Mid-Atlantic & Oregon primarily
- New Brunswick Covered Bridges
- Rialto Bridge
- FHWA Covered Bridge Manual
- Covered Spans of Yesteryear - Documenting the current and former covered bridges of the United States and Canada
- National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges
- Transports Québec Ponts couverts - Documenting covered bridges in Québec, their design and location (French language only)
- Swiss Timber Bridges contains many covered bridges.
- Covered Bridges of Pittsford, VT - Photos and information about the 4 covered bridges in the Town of Pittsford, Vermont.