Covered Bridges Of New York State

More than just relics of a bygone era, covered bridges enjoy a cherished place in the public imagination and a distinctive niche in northeastern America's regional lore and architectural history. Once, 250 covered bridges dotted the landscape of New York State. But natural disaster and human progress exacted a price, leaving only twenty-four historic bridges intact. Here is the first detailed guide to these structures, many of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Completed between 1854 and 1912, they represent a wide variety of designs—from timber and truss constructs to odd windows and walls painted in the style of an "old red barn." Rick L. Berfield offers an evocative look at how covered bridges came into existence and explores fully the colorful and arcane customs they inspired. "Kissing bridges," for example, offered seclusion for sweethearts. Toll bridges appeared on an emerging turnpike system. Baptisms and weddings were conducted on those veritable platforms, which were also favored haunts for traveling sales personnel. Brilliant color photos, driving instructions, and statistics with accompanying map make this both a practical and appealing reference, practical and appealing reference, a work that will interest both the devotee and general reader alike.

At one time, New York State had over 300 covered bridges, but over the years, floods, fires, and modernization have claimed all but 32 of them. Both the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge and the Old Blenheim Bridge are proud record holders. Located in Glimmerglass State Park, the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is the oldest existing covered bridge in the United States. The Old Blenheim Bridge was the longest single-span covered bridge in the world until it was washed away by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 when the Schoharie Creek flooded. Today, Oxford, New York, is home to the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center, which was specifically designed for covered bridge researchers—the first-ever center of its kind.

New York State's Covered Bridges explores the old timbered spans that crossed New York waters. The state at one time had more than two hundred fifty such bridges; today, it has only twenty four original covered bridges remaining, plus some replicas. Vintage postcards, many of which are extremely rare, bring back into view the old ones, beginning with the first built in 1807, and ending with those of the mid-1900s.

A richly detailed account of bridge builders, the tools they used, and their finished masterpieces, this profusely illustrated work describes foot bridges, latticework and double-decked structures, drawbridges, and more. Filled with information on bridge locations, lengths of spans, and other data, this priceless tribute to a bygone era. 150 black-and-white illustrations.

Sportsman's Connection's Eastern New York All-Outdoors Atlas & Field Guide contains maps created at twice the scale of other road atlases, which means double the detail. And while the maps are sure to be the finest quality you have ever used, the thing that makes this book unique is all the additional information. Your favorite outdoor activities including fishing lakes and streams, hunting, camping, hiking and biking,snowmobiling and off-roading, paddeling, skiing, golfing and wildlife viewing are covered in great depth with helpful editorial and extensive tables, which are all cross-referenced and indexed to the map pages in a way that's fun and easy to use.