Our two-week stay in Hancock, MA continues with an exceptional day trip.

We got an early start this morning with an extensive list of covered bridges to explore. Our planned loop included almost six hours of drive-time which stretched our limit for day trips, but lots of stops along the way broke it up nicely. Beautiful blue skies and warm temps helped make this a great day in New England.

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit Bay State Getaway 2022.

The Albany Bridge aka White Mountain National Forest Bridge in Albany, NH

If you enjoy hearing about our travels on this blog, you probably already know about the Covered Bridges tab at the top of the page. Most of the bridges under that tab are in New England, with only one in Wisconsin. I guess I better get exploring around my home state, since I’ve only seen two of our six Wisconsin Covered Bridges.

Of the twelve authentic covered bridges in Massachusetts, we’ll see four today (plus one in CT), with three more planned in the days ahead. A visit to the remaining five gives us a goal for a future trip back to Massachusetts.

Most bridges are unique in some way, and I love to explore them from each end. If possible we do a walk-thru and check out the interior structure and views from the windows. On a gorgeous day like today – the blue sky, wispy clouds and lovely rivers gently meandering below, convey a feeling of calm and relaxation. But most covered bridges have a history of rebuilds (or at least major repairs) after historic flooding during the spring thaw or violent storms. That’s when these gentle rivers can be anything but gentle.

Upper Sheffield Covered Bridge

Google sent us on the back roads to our first stop of the day. It went from not too bad to worse when the last half-mile or so was on Covered Bridge Lane – a one-lane dirt road. As we explored the site, we could see a sign for Highway 7 on the other side of the bridge. We talked to some folks who were parked over there, so it seems there was an easier route which google preferred us not to take.

The Upper Sheffield Covered Bridge was built in 1999 when its predecessor (The Old Covered Bridge) was destroyed by fire in 1994. This was probably one of the most beautiful parks surrounding a bridge that we’ve seen, with a lovely grassy area and benches to relax along the river, but something creepy happened here back in 1969.

Thom Reed UFO Monument Park

After checking out the view from one of the benches, we noticed a strange-looking sign which read, “The 1st UFO incident officially inducted into the U.S. as Historically True”. It took checking out the website ufopark.org to find out what it was all about. I immediately watched the 59-minute episode below, which was more than a little creepy. I’d highly recommend a watch.

“The reboot of Unsolved Mysteries is currently the top-streamed program on Netflix…

One of the six new episodes is entitled “Berkshires UFO” and it recounts the story of the September 1, 1969 incident in which multiple people reported coming in contact with an unexplained flying object across a small corner of the Berkshire mountains, in the towns of Great Barrington and Sheffield.

One of those who recounts his experience for the cameras is Thom Reed, who on that night was riding in the back seat of his mother’s car, along with his brother, as his mother drove and his grandmother sat in the front passenger seat. They were driving through a covered bridge when the car was filled with inexplicable light despite it being after 9 p.m. The next thing they knew, three hours had passed and they were now over a mile away from where they had previously been, with his mother now in the passenger seat and his grandmother – who never drove – behind the wheel.” ~ READ MORE: The Real Story Behind Mass. UFO Case from ‘Unsolved Mysteries’

It Looks Pretty Harmless (in the daylight!)

Built in 1832, the “Old Covered Bridge” was the oldest covered bridge in Massachusetts and carried Bridge Road over the Housatonic River until it was closed to traffic in 1970 after the aforementioned UFO incident.

“The original bridge was restored in 1974 and 1981, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bridge was destroyed by fire in 1994, and the replacement bridge was complete in 1999. The fire was determined to be arson, set by local teenagers. The bridge was rebuilt to plans that had been drawn during its restoration.” ~ READ MORE

West Cornwall Covered Bridge (CT)

Although still along the Housatonic River, we had to dip into Connecticut to see the West Cornwall Bridge. This bridge was a real treat, with the great little town of West Cornwall at one end. A road ran parallel to the river past a few houses upstream, providing great side views of the bridge, which are rare.

“One of the last covered bridges in Connecticut, this iconic landmark spans 172 feet over the Housatonic River. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it still carries vehicular traffic on Connecticut Route 128. Designed by Ithiel Town, it has been in continuous service since 1864.” ~ READ MORE

“Attempts to build bridges at the site go back as far as 1762, but local ice storms and floods, like the Flood of 1837, claimed these early attempts at crossing the Housatonic. Research has shown that the current structure was most likely built in 1864. It is made of sturdy red spruce, a wood stronger than oak, and held together using treenails, wooden pegs that are wedged into place. It is a lattice truss design, known in the 1800s for providing light-weight yet efficient and durable load-bearing capacity.” ~ READ MORE

Increased Traffic, Vehicle Size and Weight

Despite being very well built, traffic has increased over the years and vehicles have gotten larger and heavier. Because of concerns about the bridge’s safety, the State of Connecticut considered replacing the now century-old structure, but a local group convinced the state to make renovations to it instead. In 1973 the CT DOT inserted a steel support deck into the bridge – which not only saved the bridge but also won the project an award for an outstanding example of historic preservation.

Major General John Sedgwick Monument and Cornwall Hollow Cemetery (CT)

While Jim was studying a map to establish our route for the day, he spotted a monument that was just past our previous stop. As a Civil War enthusiast, he knew right away who John Sedgwick was and quickly added this – and his final resting place – to our stops for today.

“John Sedgwick, or as many of his men called him “Uncle John”, was one of the most significant division and then corps commanders in the Union Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. A graduate of West Point, Sedgwick quickly rose to the rank of Brigadier and later Major General in the Union army. This was largely due to his previous military experience; he had served in the Mexican-American War, the Seminole War, and other Native American conflicts through the 1850’s.

“Uncle John” was a born leader who, early in the war established himself as one who commanded not only men, but also their respect.” ~ READ MORE

Sedgwick was killed on May 9th, 1864 by Confederate artillery fire at Spotsylvania Courthouse and was buried at Cornwall Hollow, CT. His death earned him recognition as the highest ranking Union officer to be killed in the war.

“The fittest place for man to die is where man dies for man.” ~ From the monument

Tannery Covered Bridge

The Tannery Covered Bridge (aka Tolland Covered Bridge) spans the west branch of the Farmington River on the Sandisfield/Tolland town line in MA. Built by Angelo Campetti in 1981, it was covered in 1998.

This bridge has a stringer system – “longitudinal members supporting joists under the floor planking” – meaning it doesn’t have an arch or truss system. All of the weight is carried by the decking and the structure below. After a quick look at the interior photo below, it looks very different from most covered bridges, and it becomes obvious that the covering is purely ornamental.

We walked up to this bridge and noticed an iron gate which seemed odd, but it was open so we walked through. On the way back out, we saw the iron nameplate and thought we’d better skedaddle, since maybe this was private property. Come to find out, the name on that metal sign was the builder and his wife. Did they live near here at one time? Or do they still live here?

Break Time!

As we entered the city limits of Westfield, this town looked just big enough to have a few nice restaurants. We agreed that The Maple Leaf Pub sounded promising (because of the word Pub in the name). When we missed our turn, we pulled into the Olver Transit Pavilion to turn around, and were immediately met by the security guard who was quick to tell us that we could not park here.

He said he could actually give us a ticket – if he wasn’t such a nice guy. We explained that we were just turning around and he told us where we could park for free. He said the Maple Leaf was a wise choice and we exchanged hometowns. It seemed he just needed someone to talk to, so we chatted for a while and finally made a break for it.

It turned out to be the perfect stop. My flatbread pizza went well with our Dirty Girl IPAs – brewed by Abandoned Building Brewery in Easthampton, MA. Our beers were “named in celebration of the amazing women in agriculture who make local beer possible.” Be sure to stop at the Maple Leaf if you are ever in Westfield – but avoid the transit pavilion – unless you just need someone to talk to!

With gas prices ranging anywhere from $3.40 to $3.90 a gallon, the highlight of the day was finding a station for $2.96 a gallon in Westfield! Too bad we didn’t have more room in our tank (or gas cans in the back) to take advantage of that incredible price!

Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge (MA)

Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge (aka Gilbertville Bridge) carries Bridge Street over the Ware River in two counties (Hampshire and Worcester) and two cities (Ware and Hardwick). It is one of very few remaining 19th-century covered bridges in Massachusetts.

This one-lane bridge is about 100 feet long and 18 feet wide – plenty wide for a car to pass us (while walking) without the need to panic.

“The bridge was built in 1886, extensively rebuilt in 1986-1987, and was closed in 2002 due to structural issues and a limited carrying capacity. The bridge reopened in October 2010 and no longer has a weight limit according to MassDOT. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.” ~ READ MORE

Town Truss System

Although the Town (Lattice) Truss System made it a little harder for my river shots, having access to the river itself made up for it. This system is a relatively simple structure and works great for longer bridges. Patented by Ithiel Town in 1820, this system provides “light-weight yet efficient and durable load-bearing capacity.” We saw this design on the West Cornwall bridge earlier today, although that one had larger “windows” for easier viewing.

Getting Down to River-level

Burkeville Covered Bridge

By the time we got to the end of our list at the Burkeville Covered Bridge (aka Conway Covered Bridge), the shadows were getting a little harsh, but we had a little fun with it. Photos from the one end were blown out, but I’m showing the second photo because it’s a great example of what gets me in trouble on these trips. See the steeple behind the bridge? Of course we had to explore to find the beautiful historic church that it’s attached to. Luckily it was just down the street.

I tried to find some info about the church, but could only come up with a cool photo of the bridge and church when no foliage blocks the view. Check it out.

Ah, There it Is!

There’s that warm glow usually associated with the sun making its way to the horizon. The name that is engraved on the bridge (just below the height restriction sign), looks like its lit up! And although the windows inside the bridge were too high to reach a view and the foliage around the bridge didn’t even allow a peek at the river, this is what vacations are all about in my mind. Great photos will keep this vacation alive for years to come. It was the perfect finale for a great day.

A Long Day, but so Worth It!

Next up: Bridges, Blooms & Beyond

Happy trails,
Barb