Monday 30 March 2009

Two covered bridges


Postmarked Marysville, CA, and dated 20 March 2009.
The Honey Run covered bridge near Chico, California
Photos by Steve Gibson.

This bridge was built in 1878 following the gold rush, to provide a means of crossing Butte Creek.  It was not  covered at this time.  By 1901 the flooring and timber had decayed badly and it was recommended that it should be covered in at the time of repairs.  In 1965 a car damaged the bridge and it was then closed to traffic.


Unused, dating from 2008.
Le Pont Couvert.

This bridge was built after the deaths of 9 Italians in 1847 who were working on the Paris-Toulouse railway line.  They had to cross the Bouzanne river every day by boat to reach the works from their camp.  As well as providing a safe crossing, the covered bridge, the only one in France, provided welcome shelter for the men to eat their meals.  It is closed to anything other than foot traffic.

Two covered bridges, half a world apart, and yet at first glance so very similar.
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5 comments:

  1. great posting,but than again I enjoy a good covered bridge.

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  2. They look like a bridge in a movie picture with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep...

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  3. That's incredible that there is one and only one covered bridge in France. In Vermont, for example, one cannot throw a stone without hitting a covered bridge.

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  4. I love covered bridges. They had a few where I grew up. Nice. :)

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  5. @Mike, glad to hear it! :)

    @Eddy, The Bridges of Madison County - I loved it! :)

    @Chris, I have to take their word for it. I'm hardly an expert, but it's the only one I've ever seen.

    @Max, were there? I had assumed they were special to a certain area, but it seems they are fairly widespread in the USA.

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