No Title 2568

The first time I ever crossed a covered bridge I was simply too young to remember.

You see, growing up in Greenup County, the home of two covered bridges—Bennett’s Mill and Oldtown—you did this on a regular basis.

To get to my childhood home, one had to drive over the Tygart’s Creek area and then go over the Bennett’s Mill Bridge. My earliest recollection of the all-wooden structure was that the floor was saggy and the ceiling looked as though it was built out of X’s. I later learned the proper name of these X’s was trusses. Many are known by the name of the person who designed them, such as the Burr truss.

A toot of the horn from our old ’54 Ford reverberated from the close proximity of the wooden walls to the back seat. My brother, sister, and I thought this was neat. Today, as I cross the bridge with my own children and toot the horn, they think it is just as neat.

Since the early 1800s, covered bridges have been a staple along the landscape of the Bluegrass State. We hope you enjoy seeing the few that remain, primarily in northeastern Kentucky.

KEYWORD EXCLUSIVE: COVERED BRIDGE HISTORY & FESTIVAL

To learn why covered bridges were first built in America, dating back to 1804, and more about covered bridges in Kentucky, including the annual Fleming County Covered Bridge Festival in August, read this Web-only exclusive: Covered Bridge History and Festival.