Covered Bridges

Covered Bridges are historic pieces of American and Canadian rural history, gracing the countryside from Oregon to Tennessee and from California to New Brunswick and across Canada. In this lavishly illustrated volume Joseph D. Conwill recounts the rich, romantic history of covered bridges as they developed from early timber bridges, born out of the traditions of Medieval times, into modernized structures designed for the motorized traffic of the early twentieth century. Reflecting on the efforts to keep covered bridges in service as the face of the rural landscape is transformed, and the challenge of preserving their historic character while making them safe for modern traffic, Conwill guides the reader across the diverse range of covered bridges to be found throughout the North America.

Joseph D. Conwill became interested in covered bridges in 1966, and has seen every historical covered bridge in North America, including many now gone. He has written several books on covered bridges plus technical articles on timber framing. He is archivist of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, and editor of its historical quarterly Covered Bridge Topics.