The Covered Bridge Tour…

I love finding covered bridges hidden in the most unexpected places. With fall on the way, I dream of pumpkins and gourds, mums in all colors, back road drives, festivals and flea markets, and… covered bridges.

I’ve been thinking for a while of taking you on a covered bridge tour. Greene County has seven still standing, and Washington County (which is really close) has twenty-three. The amazing thing to me is that they seem to be hidden jewels. It takes a little driving and sometimes a GPS to find them, but aren’t they a cool piece of the past?

My Big Boy and I happened to be doing some business in West Virginia, and when I picked up a pamphlet and saw “The Longest Two-Lane Covered Bridge on a US Highway”, well…he knew we were going on a road trip. (“Honey, it’s only 15 miles from here.”) Here’s the deal, fifteen miles on West Virginia roads is not like Kansas…it’s going to take at least 30 minutes winding your way through beautiful hills and mountains. (sounded good to me!)

This is the Philippi Covered Bridge, the only remaining “double-barreled” covered bridge serving a US Highway.  It was built in 1852 and served the North & South during the Civil War.  In 1989 it was severely damaged by fire, but has been restored to its original appearance.  On June 3, 1861, the bridge was forever etched in American history when it became the scene of the first land battle of the Civil War.

Don’t you just love the wooden beams and rafters?  (this photo was taken while ‘on the move’, but you get the jist)  I can just imagine my 6th generation grandparents in their horse and buggy, and the clop-clop-clop of horses hooves echoing off the walls.

That’s why I love covered bridges, it takes us back to a simpler time.

It was worth the extra hour.  I’m so glad we found it!

This fall, I plan to find those covered bridges.  Through hills and hollers, ridges, and mountains…we’re gonna find them.  Stick around, I’m sure it’s going to be a fun trip.

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