America’s historic covered bridges, once ubiquitous displays of a town’s economic development, are rapidly disappearing.
In the late 1800s, our nation once had over 12,000 covered bridges, according to the Federal Highway Association. Now, the Smithsonian estimates that less than 800 remain, with over 200 of those located in Pennsylvania – the state that once had about 1,500 covered bridges, the most in the U.S.
Beliefs differ as to why these bridges became so popular during the 19th century, but many thought the roof and walls ensured animals would not shy away from crossing bodies of water and also protected the bridge’s trusses and deck from weather-related deterioration.
Over time, ice, fires and flooding, coupled with numerous acts of vandalism, have left Maine with only eight of the 120 historic covered bridges it saw at its peak.
Now, many modern covered bridges are spread across our state’s landscape, some more eccentric than others. So, whether you’re looking to learn more about architectural history, explore an island or visit one of the largest private seashell collections in the world, Maine bridges have you covered.
Babb’s Bridge. Maine.gov photo
BABB’S BRIDGE
WHERE: Hurricane Road, Gorham
RIVER: Presumpscot
YEAR BUILT: 1840
KEY DETAIL: Babb’s Bridge was likely named after the Babb family that owned property in the area in the 1800s. C. Wilkes Babb, a prominent member of the family, ran the Knox Woolen Company from 1886 until 1956. This bridge has been repeatedly vandalized, including being burned down by an arson fire in 1973 and having holes cut in the roof in 2014. It reopened to traffic in 2015 and remains open today.
Bennett Bridge. Maine.gov photo
BENNETT BRIDGE
WHERE: Off Route 16, Lincoln Plantation
RIVER: Magalloway
YEAR BUILT: 1901
KEY DETAIL: Bennett Bridge was constructed in two segments. First, the abutments were completed in 1898 by local carpenters Horace Bennett and Fred Taylor. The remainder was finished in 1901 by the Mason Brothers, a bridge construction group out of Bethel. The bridge was closed to traffic in 1985.
Bethel Walking Path Covered Bridge. Bethel Department of Communications photo by Nate Crooker
BETHEL WALKING PATH BRIDGE
WHERE: Davis Park, Bethel
RIVER: N/A
YEAR BUILT: 2001
KEY DETAIL: This covered footbridge is a replica of Sunday River Bridge, which is roughly a 10-minute drive away. The builder, William Dunton, also constructed The Big Adventure Covered Bridge, which is the 12th hole at the Big Adventure miniature golf course in Bethel.
Boothbay Railway Museum Covered Bridge. Bob Crink photo
BOOTHBAY RAILWAY MUSEUM
WHERE: Boothbay Railway Museum, 586 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay
RIVER: N/A
YEAR BUILT: 1980s
KEY DETAIL: Spread across dry land at the Boothbay Railway Museum, this red bridge is used for train rides and tours.
Field of Dreams Covered Bridge. Dan J. Brock photo
FIELD OF DREAMS BRIDGE
WHERE: Field of Dreams Park, Bangor Road, Unity
RIVER: N/A
YEAR BUILT: 2000
KEY DETAIL: This wooden footbridge connects a parking lot to Field of Dreams Park. The park is enclosed by a .9-mile loop that is popular for birding, running and hiking.
Guild Park Memorial Bridge. Jeff Scully photo provided by the Ocean Park Association
GUILD PARK COVERED FOOTBRIDGE
WHERE: 74 Temple Ave., Old Orchard Beach
RIVER: An unnamed brook
YEAR BUILT: 1944
KEY DETAIL: In 1891, Ocean Park’s Young People’s Social and Literary Guild had a footbridge constructed over a brook that ran across Guild Park’s entrance. In 1944, it was replaced by a covered footbridge and was dedicated as a war memorial later that year. The park and footbridge are open to the public.
Hemlock Bridge. Maine.gov photo
HEMLOCK BRIDGE
WHERE: Fryeburg
RIVER: Saco
YEAR BUILT: 1857
KEY DETAIL: In 2002, Hemlock Bridge was designated a Maine Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers because it is the oldest surviving covered bridge with a Paddleford truss system in Maine. The Paddleford system was designed by New Hampshire resident Peter Paddleford in the late 17th to early 18th century but was never patented. The system makes the braces work in both compression and tension, something previous bridge designs strayed away from. Hemlock Bridge is open to local traffic.
Leonard’s Mills Bridge Brent Danley photo
LEONARD’S MILLS BRIDGE
WHERE: 262 Government Road, Bradley
RIVER: Blackman Stream
YEAR BUILT: 1987
KEY DETAIL: Patterned after Ithiel Town’s “lattice truss,” this bridge is located on a short hiking path on the Maine Forest and Logging Museum grounds. The paths are open to visitors daily, through daylight hours, except during events.
Lovejoy Bridge. Maine.gov photo
LOVEJOY BRIDGE
WHERE: South Andover
RIVER: Ellis
YEAR BUILT: 1868
KEY DETAIL: According to MaineDot, this 70-foot-long bridge was named after the Lovejoy house, the home of Emma and Patee Lovejoy, a farming family located on the eastern side of Ellis River. The Social Welfare History Project states that the Lovejoy’s son Owen (1811-1864), went on to become a conductor for the underground railroad, using what is now known as the Owen Lovejoy house in Princeton, Illinois, as a depot. Lovejoy Bridge is open to local traffic.
Lowes Bridge. Maine.gov photo
LOWES BRIDGE
WHERE: Lowes Bridge Road, Guilford
RIVER: Piscataquis
YEAR BUILT: 1857
KEY DETAIL: On April 1, 1987, Lowes Bridge was washed away by a flood. It was rebuilt in 1990 on the original abutments with a larger load capacity. The bridge remains open to traffic.
Porter-Parsonsfield Bridge. Maine.gov photo
PORTER-PARSONSFIELD BRIDGE
WHERE: 51 Kezar Mountain Road, Parsonsfield
RIVER: Ossipee
YEAR BUILT: 1859 (according to MaineDot); 1876 (according to the sign on the bridge)
KEY DETAIL: Co-constructed by the towns of Porter and Parsonsfield, disputes regarding building and maintenance costs led to a historic meeting between the two towns’ selectmen. Meeting at the site, a Parsonsfield selectman threw a jackknife at the midpoint of the project, stating, “The town of Parsonsfield shall build so far and no further,” according to MaineDOT. The bridge was closed to traffic in 1960.
Replica of the 1840s Era Howe Truss Covered Bridge. Cole Land Transportation Museum photo
REPLICA OF 1840s ERA HOWE TRUSS COVERED BRIDGE
WHERE: Cole Land Transportation Museum, 405 Perry Road, Bangor
RIVER: A runoff stream from the Penobscot
YEAR BUILT: 1994
KEY DETAIL: This bridge, located on the Cole Land Transportation Museum grounds, is a replica of the 1840-era Howe Truss Covered bridge. The original bridge, patented in 1840 by William Howe, was designed to have tension on the verticals and compression on the diagonals, the opposite of the Pratt truss, another popular bridge design at the time.
Robyville Bridge. Maine.gov photo
ROBYVILLE BRIDGE
WHERE: Covered Bridge Road, Corinth
RIVER: Kenduskeag Stream
YEAR BUILT: 1876
KEY DETAIL: Robyville Bridge is the only completely shingled, covered bridge in Maine. In 2002, it was designated as a Maine Historic Engineering Landmark for being the oldest covered bridge with a long truss system in the state. Robyville Bridge remains open to local traffic.
Kenneth E. Stoddard Shell Museum. Michelle Enemark photo
STODDARD SHELL MUSEUM BRIDGE
WHERE: 510 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay
RIVER: Spans two artificial golf-course ponds
YEAR BUILT: 1996
KEY DETAIL: Although this is a registered Maine bridge, you can’t walk or drive across it. Inside is a seashell museum that, according to Meander Maine, holds one of the largest private shell collections in the world. It was built by Lee Stoddard, who also established neighboring locations Dolphin Mini-Golf Course and Ice Cream Hut. The museum was built to fulfill a dying wish from Stoddard’s father, a Navy ship repairman who began collecting the shells during his WWII deployment. This is the only covered bridge in Lincoln County.
Sunday River Bridge. Maine.gov photo
SUNDAY RIVER BRIDGE
WHERE: Sunday River, Newry
RIVER: Sunday
YEAR BUILT: 1872
KEY DETAIL: Better known by its nickname, Artist’s Bridge, this is one of the most painted and photographed covered bridges in Maine. It was closed to traffic in 1958.
Jubilee Park Covered Bridge. City of Saco Communications Department/Andrew Dickinson photo
JUBILEE PARK COVERED BRIDGE
WHERE: Jubilee Island Park, 26 Water St., Saco
RIVER: Saco
YEAR BUILT: 1981
KEY DETAIL: This bridge connects Water Street to Jubilee Island Park, a one-acre plot located in the Saco River. The island park hosts an annual concert series and has a few benches and picnic tables.
This photo provided by the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office, shows what’s left of the Watson Settlement Bridge in Littleton, after it burned on Monday, July 19, 2021. It was one of Maine’s nine covered bridges, and the only one in Aroostook County. The bridge, built in 1910, spans the Meduxnekeag River and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
WATSON SETTLEMENT BRIDGE
WHERE: Framingham Road, Littleton
RIVER: Meduxnekeag
YEAR BUILT: 1911
KEY DETAIL: This bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. Although it no longer stands as a result of an arson fire in 2021, the historical marker is still up for visitors. Shortly after the fire, the Maine State Fire Marshal offered a $1,000 reward for any information that could lead to the arsonist’s arrest, but no one was ever connected to the crime. Before burning down, Watson Settlement Bridge was considered the oldest surviving bridge in Maine built with the Howe truss system, as well as one of the longest covered bridges, spanning 150 feet.
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