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America's Covered Bridges: Practical Crossings - Nostalgic Icons
As many as 15,000 covered bridges were built in North America over the past 200 years. Fewer than 1,000 remain.
In America's Covered Bridges , authors Terry E. Miller and Ronald G. Knapp tell the fascinating story of these bridges, how they were built, the technological breakthroughs required to construct them and above all the dedication and skill of their builders. Each wooden bridge, whether still standing or long gone, has a story to tell about the nature of America at the time—not only about its transportation needs but the availability of materials and the technological prowess of the people who built it.
North American covered bridges were marvels of engineering long before modern civil engineering was invented. Early American bridge builders developed revolutionary new carpentry methods to join timbers into patterns consisting of triangles or continuous arches that resulted in structures rigid enough to span long distances. These systems, called trusses, were critical to bridge construction of the day and had to be protected from the elements by a roof and siding. Few people today realize that bridges were covered to protect the trusses—not the people using the bridge! The unprotected trusses soon degraded and the bridge would collapse.
Illustrated with some 550 historical and contemporary photos, paintings, and technical drawings of nearly 400 different covered bridges, America's Covered Bridges offers five readable chapters on the history, design and fate of America's covered bridges, plus related bridges in Canada. Most of the contemporary photography is by master photographer A. Chester Ong of Hong Kong.
55 photo essays on the most iconic bridges remaining,
Among the featured bridges are two that were destroyed before the book could be published, New York's Blenheim Bridge during a storm and Ohio's Humpback Bridge by arson. The Permanent Bridge in Philadelphia, considered by most as the first covered bridge in America, figures prominently, as do the bridges of Lancaster County—heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. This compendium of classic Americana includes many of the most astounding and iconic bridges ever built in the United States, including those by Timothy Palmer, Theodore Burr and Lewis Wernwag. Some, like the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge over the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, were a mile long.
Over time, wooden bridges eventually gave way to ones made of iron, steel and concrete. An American icon, many covered bridges became obsolete and were replaced—others simply decayed and collapsed. Many more were swept away by natural disasters and fires. America's Covered Bridges is absolutely packed with fascinating stories and information passionately told by two leading experts on this subject. The book will be of tremendous interest to anyone interested in American history, carpentry and technological change.
In America's Covered Bridges , authors Terry E. Miller and Ronald G. Knapp tell the fascinating story of these bridges, how they were built, the technological breakthroughs required to construct them and above all the dedication and skill of their builders. Each wooden bridge, whether still standing or long gone, has a story to tell about the nature of America at the time—not only about its transportation needs but the availability of materials and the technological prowess of the people who built it.
North American covered bridges were marvels of engineering long before modern civil engineering was invented. Early American bridge builders developed revolutionary new carpentry methods to join timbers into patterns consisting of triangles or continuous arches that resulted in structures rigid enough to span long distances. These systems, called trusses, were critical to bridge construction of the day and had to be protected from the elements by a roof and siding. Few people today realize that bridges were covered to protect the trusses—not the people using the bridge! The unprotected trusses soon degraded and the bridge would collapse.
Illustrated with some 550 historical and contemporary photos, paintings, and technical drawings of nearly 400 different covered bridges, America's Covered Bridges offers five readable chapters on the history, design and fate of America's covered bridges, plus related bridges in Canada. Most of the contemporary photography is by master photographer A. Chester Ong of Hong Kong.
55 photo essays on the most iconic bridges remaining,
Among the featured bridges are two that were destroyed before the book could be published, New York's Blenheim Bridge during a storm and Ohio's Humpback Bridge by arson. The Permanent Bridge in Philadelphia, considered by most as the first covered bridge in America, figures prominently, as do the bridges of Lancaster County—heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. This compendium of classic Americana includes many of the most astounding and iconic bridges ever built in the United States, including those by Timothy Palmer, Theodore Burr and Lewis Wernwag. Some, like the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge over the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, were a mile long.
Over time, wooden bridges eventually gave way to ones made of iron, steel and concrete. An American icon, many covered bridges became obsolete and were replaced—others simply decayed and collapsed. Many more were swept away by natural disasters and fires. America's Covered Bridges is absolutely packed with fascinating stories and information passionately told by two leading experts on this subject. The book will be of tremendous interest to anyone interested in American history, carpentry and technological change.
- GenresHistory
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2014
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146 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 29, 2014
There is something magical about coming across a covered bridge. I received this exquisitely photographed hard cover book as part of the First-reads program. This is one of the finest coffee table books I have ever owned.
With over 550 magnificent photographs by A. Chester Ong mostly in full color the book dazzles and enthralls.
The captions and written chapters explain the need for covered bridges, the ingenuity in designing these bridges and the need to preserve them for future generations.
This book is for engineers, designers, and people like me who can never pass a covered bridge by without examining it's beauty and longevity.
This is obviously a labor of love and I can guarantee you will love this book.
With over 550 magnificent photographs by A. Chester Ong mostly in full color the book dazzles and enthralls.
The captions and written chapters explain the need for covered bridges, the ingenuity in designing these bridges and the need to preserve them for future generations.
This book is for engineers, designers, and people like me who can never pass a covered bridge by without examining it's beauty and longevity.
This is obviously a labor of love and I can guarantee you will love this book.
March 31, 2019
I must confess my hometown covered bridge, the Doe River Bridge in Carter County was featured, so my enthusiasm for this book is on a high!! Memories of home. Thank you Mr. Miller.
June 2, 2015
This is a lovely book. It reminds me of being at a family cottage in the country where there was a covered bridge nearby. It was always a family tradition to visit the covered bridge. running through the bridge and yelling to hear the echoes! Theses photographs are wonderful. It is a lovely book to spend an afternoon looking at all the wonderful bridges across the country. it alos makes me want to visit many of them. A definite goodread!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews