Massachusetts Covered BridgesFrom hidden valleys in the Berkshire Hills to the North Shore, 275 documented highway and railroad covered bridges have been constructed in Massachusetts from the early 19th century onward, a figure that often comes as a surprise to those who traditionally associate these unique structures with northern New England. All but a small handful of these are long gone, lost to modern replacements, fires, wear, and the region's notorious weather, especially the devastating storms of the late 1930s. The bridges came in all shapes and sizes, from diminutive 50-foot spans to multitiered structures of nearly 900 feet that crossed the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers and were stout enough to support railroads across their roofs. |
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Contents
Acknowledgments | 6 |
Central and Eastern Massachusetts | 99 |
About Covered Spans of Yesteryear | 127 |
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20th century adjacent Bissell Bridge boards Bridge Section archives bridge was built bridge's caused Charlemont closed collection Colrain Company completed Connecticut River construction courtesy Harvard Historical Courtesy MassHighway Bridge Courtesy Peter Miller Courtesy Sheffield Historical covered bridges crossed damage Deerfield River destroyed Dewey Research Center dismantled early east Erving evident Falls fire floods Greenfield Harvard Historical Society highway hills interior known late located Long lost Lower Mark Dewey Research Massachusetts MassHighway Bridge Section Merrimack River miles Mill Montague City nearby North original Pepperell Photograph by William portal Preservation Public Library Pumping Station Bridge railroad bridge records remaining replaced residents road roof Route seen served Sheffield Historical Society short distance shortly shows side Smith Society Mark Dewey South spans state's steel storms Street structure supports taken throughout timbers traffic vehicles village visible Ware washed Waterous William Maxant winter