nspcb.fall04
October - November - December - Fall 2004
Newsletter National
Society for the preservation of Covered Bridges Incorporated
David W. Wright, President P.O. Box 171 Westminster, VT
05158 (802) 722-4040
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Mrs. Christine Ellsworth Corresponding Secretary 44
Cleveland Ave. Worcester, MA 01603 (508) 756-4516 |
Carmela Sciandra, Newsletter Ed. P.O. Box
398026 Cambridge, MA 02139 E-mail:
croses@hotmail.com
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Send dues to: Pauline Prideaux Membership
Chairperson 382 S. Main Street Andover, MA 01810 E-mail:
sanibel93@aol.com |
Richard Roy, Historian 73 Ash Street Manchester, NH
03104-4906 (603)623-8406 Email:dickroycb1@juno.com |
KC Klingensmith, Newsletter Ed. P.O. Box 425193 Cambridge,
MA 02142 E-mail: kc@ilp.mit.edu
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David Topham, Treasurer, Nov thru April only: 11707
Oakmont Ct., Fort Myers, FL 33908-2825 239-433-1551; May thru
Oct: 45 Village Way No. 50, Rockport, ME 04856-3805,
207-596-7472 |
MEETINGS and EVENTS for 2004
October 17th NSPCB Annual Meeting at the French
King Restaurant in Millers Falls, MA. See last page of newsletter
for dinner reservation coupon and more information.
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NEWSLETTER DATES The next
newsletter is scheduled for January 2005. Therefore, anyone wishing
to submit any photos, articles, etc. should submit them to Carmela
or KC by December 20, 2004. Any newspaper or magazine
articles must include source information and details (such as name
of publication, date, etc.). Electronic submissions are
preferred. THANK YOU! |
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A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT
Dear Fellow Members, Greetings:
It is hard to believe, but it is again Fall. As I have remarked
before, that is to say in several previous President's Messages, the
older I get, the faster time seems to fly. The latter observation is
hardly original with me, obviously; it is probably a part at least
of what lies behind the old maxim, Tempus Fugit, time flies. Be that
as it may, one thing is surely good about the arrival of autumn;
namely, the fact that many of us shall soon be gathering for the
Annual Meeting of the National Society.
The Annual Meeting of the National Society this year, as in many
years past, will once again be held at the French King Restaurant.
Information as to how to get to the restaurant in question, and
the cost of a meal there, et cetera, is to be found elsewhere in the
present Newsletter.
The speaker for the occasion will be David C. Fischetti, P.E., of
Cary, North Carolina. Amongst many other things, David Fischetti is
the engineer who did a rather exceptional analysis of the
Bath-Haverhill Covered Bridge, an analysis financed by our Society.
As a result of this analysis, the precise nature and amplitude of
the forces active within the trusses and upper and lower lateral
bracing systems of the. Bath-Haverhill span under various loading
conditions are now known. Knowledge of that sort is of course of
paramount importance when one is attempting to work out an
appropriate restoration scheme for a structure of such singular
significance as the Bath-Haverhill Covered Bridge. In any case, at
our Annual Meeting, David Fischetti will be talking about the
various problems he regularly encounters during the course of his
work overseeing the restoration of historic buildings and historic
Covered Wooden Bridges.
In the hope, then, that I shall be greeting many of you at next
month's Annual Meeting -- remember, this meeting is scheduled for
the THIRD Sunday of October, the 17th in other words - - please be
assured that I remain,
Yours most sincerely,
David W. Wright, President, the National
Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, Incorporated.
GET WELL SOON DICK!! One of the NSPCB Vice Presidents,
Dick Roy has been ill. Fortunately he was only briefly hospitalized
and is on the road to recovery. Dick and his wife June wish to thank
everyone for all of the cards and get well wishes he has received.
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The Pomeroy-Academia Covered Bridge in Juniata
County, PA by Audrey Sizelove
The Pomeroy-Academia Bridge, built in 1902 by James N. Groninger,
is a one-lane bridge with a double span, having an overall length of
approximately 278 feet [portal to portal], and an overall width of
almost 18 feet. The design was based on plans of Theodore Burr
[1771-1822] who was the preeminent bridge architect and builder of
his time. Burr developed an arch and truss design that was patented
in 1804 that came to be known as the Burr truss.
This bridge has the distinction of being the longest remaining
covered bridge in Pennsylvania and is listed on both the
Pennsylvania Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks and the
National Register of Historic Places.
In the summer of 1962 the bridge was still in use in the
Pennsylvania Highway system but was slated for destruction after a
new bridge crossing the Tuscarora Creek was completed. The Juniata
County Historical Society stepped in and voted to assume
responsibility for the bridge with the goal of having it restored.
The contractor, not knowing of their plans began, at the end of
August, to take the bridge down. The Historical Society acted
quickly, with the help of the County Commissioners, and was able to
get the work stopped for two days, enough time for the Society to
deliver a signed statement to the Commissioners declaring their
intentions to assume responsibility for the covered bridge.
This year the bridge marks 102 years of existence. Except for
some general repairs on the roof and siding, repairs after weather
damage, the re-pointing of the stone piers and the collars placed
around the headwalls and the piers to stop water erosion, no other
work has been completed. The fact that it is still standing after
102 years is a credit to the quality of Burr's design and the
workmanship of the laborers who built it.
Viewed from afar, the bridge is picturesque though dilapidated
and obviously in need of repairs. However, up close, if one looks
carefully it is obvious that time and insects have ravaged it. The
bridge has suffered extensive damage from termites and carpenter
bees as well as general deterioration. Our engineers tell us that if
we don't do major restoration work on the bridge now, sometime
within the decade, its going to collapse into the Tuscarora Creek.
The engineering firm of P. Joseph Lehman of Holidaysburg, PA who
have performed similar restoration work on some 10 historic covered
bridges in P A has estimated the cost of restoration to be $1.4
million. The project will involve-disassembling, replacing all
deteriorated members and reassembling the bridge. Restoration work
will also be completed on the abutments and piers and concrete
collars will be put in place to prevent further water erosion. A
small pedestrian park will be placed on the Beale Township side of
the Tuscarora Creek with benches and historical markers explaining
the history of the Bridge and the nearby Beer's Mill.
In 2002 and 2003 the Historical Society's applied to the Federal
Highway Administration's Covered Bridge Restoration Fund without
success. Applications have also been made for TEA Enhancement funds
at the local and state levels. In November of 2003, we received a
Keystone Preservation Grant of $70,000 from the Pennsylvania
Historical and Museum Commission.
To better position the bridge for future grant money the board of
the society recently agreed to fund all pre-construction work
estimated to be $175,000. The Historical Society has raised over
$40,000 and can use 25% of the Keystone preservation grant for this
purpose, thus allowing $57,500 to be utilized for the
pre-construction surveys and permit work that must be completed. We
are actively encouraging our state and federal elected officials to
assist us with raising the pre- construction funds. Currently there
is no Federal Transportation Bill in place but we are hopeful that
Congress will pass a new bill sometime in 2005 that would have
Covered Bridge Restoration Funds.
For any further information on the Pomeroy-Academia Bridge
contact the Juniata County Historical Society at 717-436-5152 or by
email at juncohis@tricountyi.net. We also have a web page at
http://www.rootsweb.com/~pajchs/. Click on Historic Places to
see other pictures of the bridge. |
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Pleasantville Covered Bridge (38-06-01) has reopened
after repairs. Dedication was June 12, 2004. Photo by P.
Tabor. |
Spanning New York State Covered Bridge
News
By Bob and Trish
Kane
Essex County
Jay Covered Bridge - NY 32-16-01 -- Jim Ligon, Project
Superintendent for Alpine Construction, LLC., reports some exciting
news regarding the Jay Covered Bridge. As you can see by the photos,
the bridge is looking very attractive these days. The roof has been
completely covered with a rubber membrane, but the finished roof
will be a lightweight aluminum shingle which is supposed to look
like cedar shakes. The interior of the bridge has been treated with
a fire retardant and bug spray to prevent insect infestation. The
fire alarm system has recently been installed and stain applied to
the siding. To obtain up-to-date information on the continued
rehabilitation progress, be sure to visit:
http://members.localnet.com/~jligon/Alpine/Jay
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September 2000 - Photo by Trish Kane
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September 2004 - Photo by Jim Ligon
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Herkimer County
Salisbury Center Covered Bridge - NY 32-22-01 -- The
rehabilitation work on the Salisbury Center Covered Bridge was
completed in mid August. With $153,000 in federal funds the town was
able to replace the structure's horizontal, diagonal and vertical
beams and remove the deck to install stronger beams as well as
I-beams to better accommodate vehicular traffic. The bridge also has
a new steel sheathing roof. During the rehabilitation process they
were also able to remove the sag in the floor which makes for seven
to eight inches additional clearance. The bridge looks fantastic and
was listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places on
June 19, 1972. Special thanks to everyone involved in the
rehabilitation of yet another of New York's historic landmarks.
Rensselaer/Washington Counties
Buskirk Covered Bridge - NY 32-42-02/58-04 -- The siding
and roof are still absent from the Buskirk bridge and the top chords
are being supported by scaffolding. These top chords will remain
with some minor replacements. The new bottom chords are now in
place. There has been a slight delay in the completion of the
rehabilitation of this bridge. Upon closer inspection the iron rods
between the top and bottom chords were found to be significantly
deteriorated where they were hidden. More rods have to be replaced
than originally thought and they are awaiting the delivery of these
rods. Due to the delay, the reopening date is now scheduled for mid
January. The construction company, Alpine Construction of
Stillwater, NY is doing a fantastic job with this bridge. Thanks to
Willy Grimmke, Superintendent of Public Works for Washington County
for this update.
Other News: Here are two additional websites you
can bookmark under your favorites: Oregon:
http://www.oregon.com/covered_bridges/index.cfm Virginia:
http://hometown.aol.com/vabridgelady/myhomepage/photo.html
Outside New York: It is always exciting to see
articles or events promoting our covered bridges. In the Travel
section of the September 10th issue of USA Today there was a
great article titled 10 Great Places to Cross That Covered
Bridge. The 10 bridges mentioned were: Zumbrota in
Minnesota, Bridgeton in Indiana, Philippi in West Virginia, Hogback
in Iowa, Jordan in Oregon, Elizabethton in Tennessee, Oregon Creek
in California, Langley in Michigan, Sunday River/Artist in Maine,
and the Rexleigh in New York.
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Watson Settlement Bridge. Photo by Kim
McKee |
Maine -- Watson Settlement CB -- ME-19-02-01 This
bridge is currently undergoing some repairs. Kim McKee from
Hagerstown, Maryland shares this July 2004 photo of the work to
date. This bridge, built in 1911, is the farthest north and the
youngest of Maine's original covered bridges. It has a Howe design
and has two spans with a total length of 170 feet. In 1984 the
bridge was closed to traffic when a new bridge was
built.
Update on Covered Spans of Yesteryear
Project by Bill Caswell, Webmaster for CSOY
Project When the
Covered Spans of Yesteryear project was publicly announced, the
information available included little more than data from the
various editions of the World Guide. Since that time significant
amounts of information have been added from New Hampshire, Vermont,
Quebec, and most recently, Indiana. Pictures of many of the New
Hampshire bridges have been added as well as ones from Virginia and
Rutland County, Vermont. This information was provided by people who
have been researching these regions for many years. Although many
more details can be added, the information currently available is a
good representation of the bridges known to exist in these areas.
Currently, lists of bridges from Maine, New York, Oregon, and
Pennsylvania are in various stages of completion. This process
includes adding the data to the database, proofreading it, and then
distributing the list to people with extensive knowledge of the
particular area for review and
comment. Information from
many other states & provinces is still needed. For example,
early editions of Topics mention 125 bridges in
Georgia while only half of those have been documented so far. A
similar situation exists in New Brunswick where we are aware of less
than half of the suggested 300 bridges. They also mention 50 bridges
in Virginia while we only have details regarding 11. If you have
additional information about these three regions, please send it
along. Although complete details of each structure is the ultimate
goal, we realize that is rarely possible. Any details will be
greatly appreciated.
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The 50th Anniversary
'Weekend June 4 & 5, 2004 By Pauline & Don
Prideaux
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Richard Donovan standing in front of the
Theodore Burr House (now the Oxford Public Library) in
Oxford, NY. Photo by Trish
Kane. |
Richard T. Donovan, Jr. Obituary: Richard T.
Donovan, Jr. passed through the portal on August l5, 2004
after battling cancer for well over a year. He was a Charter
Member of the New York Covered Bridge Society and also
belonged to many other covered bridge organizations. He was
the 3rd Vice President of the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge
Society and was editor of the 1980 edition of the World Guide
to Covered Bridges. He was a covered bridge Enthusiast for
over half a century. A funeral mass was held at St. Mary's
Church in Dansville, NY on August 18, 2004. The family
requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to
Vincent House, 310 Second Ave., Wayland, NY 14572. Vincent
House was very helpful and loving in caring for Richard in his
final months. To quote Tom Walczak in the email he sent to
tell of Richard's passing, "It certainly goes without saying
that the covered bridge world has lost a great friend with the
passing of Richard. His passion and enthusiasm have affected
all who knew him and he will be deeply missed." Well said,
Tom.
Reprinted with permission nom the New York State
Covered Bridge Society Newsletter: Volume 38, Issue 3,
September 2004. |
File Cleaning
The Philadelphia Inquirer June 23 2004, Blaze
Reduces 1874 Bridge to its Steel Support Beams. Repairs to
Mood's Covered Bridge (38-09-07), which had been closed since
January after a truck broke 8 of its 12 roof supports, had
already been scheduled to begin when fire engulfed the bridge.
It was one of 13 covered bridges left in Bucks County.
The Morning Call, Allentown, PA June 23, 2004.
Blaze Leaves Covered Bridge in Ruins. Arson is believed
to be the cause of the early morning fire which destroyed the
covered portion of the Mood's Covered Bridge. The steel beams
and wooden deck had only minor damage.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 2, 2004, Repairs
to Burned Bridge to be Complete by Labor Day. The deck of
the burned Mood's Covered Bridge will be repaired, cleaned and
paved with asphalt so that the bridge can reopen by Labor Day.
Guide rails will be installed along the sides of the bridge.
PennDot and the township are still considering whether to
rebuild the covered part of the span.
Coos County Democrat, Lancaster, NH, July 21, 2004,
Covered Bridge Restoration Project Moving Forward. Work
to begin in the Fall on the Mechanic Street Covered Bridge
will include everything from a new coat of paint, a new metal
roof, new guardrails, replacement of 72 deck planks,
installation of a toe wall along the abutments and wing walls
and repairing damaged and rotted truss members.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 12, 2004,
Preserving Spans of Yesteryear. Pennsylvania has the
most covered bridges in the country and various organizations
are researching ways to try to protect them against damage.
Bucks County Courier Times, August 10, 2004,
Mood's Bridge Expected to Reopen Today. The
Pennsylvania DOT laid asphalt over the bridge's deck and
erected guide rails to restore traffic flow. This quick fix is
expected to last 8-10 years and give the township time to
decide to rebuild the covered bridge or erect a modem two span
over the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 19, 2004, Six
Men are Charged with Burning a Bridge. Six college
students, 20 to 21 years of age, all from the Perkasie area,
admitted their guilt when charged with setting fire to the
Mood's Covered Bridge. The six could face a maximum 20 years
in prison. From New Brunswick, Canada: A new $1.6
million bridge to replace the Baker Brook River covered bridge
on Joseph Morneault Road, near Baker Brook will be opened to
traffic by the end of October of this year, Transportation
Minister Paul Robichaud announced. The existing covered bridge
has been relocated downstream and will be kept as a tourist
attraction. It made way for the new, single-pane, pre-stressed
concrete beam bridge. Fire in Knecht's Covered Bridge:
Located just outside of the village of Pleasant Valley in
Bucks County, P A. The Evans report that one of the secondary
bottom chords had been burned completely through, another
chord had been burned about one-third, and the two adjacent
diagonals of the Town truss have been partially charred.
Obviously, the bridge has been closed.
Work on the new Cedar Bridge at Winterset, Iowa is
progressing nicely. It will be dedicated during the Covered
Bridge Festival the second weekend in October.
CONTRIBUTORS: P. Tabor, Ray Johnson, Carmela
Sciandra, George Conn, George Eysenbach, Gerald Arbour, Ben
and June Evans, Pauline Prideaux. |
50th ANNIVERSARY ITEMS
AVAILABLE
We are very happy to have to offer this year a couple of
items in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the National
Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges.
Tote Bag - Has the National Society for the
Preservation of Covered Bridges emblem in dark blue on front
pocket measuring 12 1 /2" by 15 1 /2" with a top snap and 20"
handle straps. Available for $15 including shipping
Ornament -Also has the Society emblem. It's a 3"
round glass maroon ornament with the emblem in gold. Available
for $7 including shipping
Pens -Pens have "I love Covered Bridges -
N.S.P.C.B." written on them. Available for $1.25 including
shipping. |
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SPECIAL OFFER!! You may want
to have them all. One of each tote, ornament and pen will be
available for $20 including shipping. They are great gifts for
family, friends and other bridgers. We have a limited supply,
so please order yours today.
PLEASE MAKE CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS TO
N.S.P.C.B. INC and mail to;
N.S.P.C.B. INC. Pauline Prideaux 382 S. Main
St. Andover, MA 01810l |
Covered Bridge Manual
Availableby Dennis Rasmussen
NOTICE: At long last - the Covered Bridge Manual
will soon be in print and available for free. Phil Pierce,
Consulting Engineer and covered bridge specialist, and his
team, have completed preparation of the new manual for the
Federal Highway Administration. With major focus on the
engineering and construction of covered bridges, it also
includes diverse information and should be a good reference
for anyone interested in covered bridges. To request your free
copy, write to John O'Fallon at the Turner-Fairbank Highway
Research Center, FHWA, 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
or send an email to John.O'Fallon@fhwa.dot.gov
For those of you who previously sent a note to Phil
expressing interest in the manual, he has forwarded names and
addresses to Mr. O'Fallon. You are urged to contact Mr.
O'Fallon to confirm your contact information.
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New Covered Bridge over the Ammonoosuc
River in Littleton, NH. This footbridge has a Warren
Truss. Photo by C.
Brock. |
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Mood's Covered Bridge (38-09-07).,
showing the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek and the
steel beam resting on the modified abutments. Photo by
George Eysenbach, July 31,
2004. | |
Pleasantville Covered Bridge Restoration" --
New Publication A new publication that
contains 20 pages, 41 photos, a glossary, a history of the
bridge, and a step by step description of how the bridge was
restored. The restoration, including taking the bridge apart,
rebuilding the bridge, and placing it back over the creek took
nearly two years. Available through the mail for $12.00 from
Fred J. Moll, 714 Forest St., Fleetwood, PA 19522
"Pennsyvania's Covered Bridges-Our Heritage" --
New Publication A look at many of
Pennsylvania's past historic bridges as well as some present
bridges through 125 photographs, 14 of them in color, and a
chart of over 1,500 covered bridges that once spanned the
waters of Pennsylvania. Soft cover, 144 pages, available
through the mail for $25.00, or order both books for $30.00.
(See other book above.) Fred J. Moll, 714 Forest St.,
Fleetwood, PA 19522.
The following are items still available through the
Society: All of the items below are available from June Roy,
73 Ash Street, Manchester, NH 03104-4906 or E-mail
dickroycb1@Juno.com
The Book, Life in the Slow Lane is still
available for $16.95 + $3.95 Shipping and
Handling. Society Arm Patch with N.S.P.C.B. logo 3"
arm patch available for $1.75 + 55 cents P&H.
Books Available by Andrew Howard:
CB's of Madison County IA, A Guide . . . . . .$6.50 CBs
of Connecticut, A Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.50 CB's
of Virginia, A Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$6.95 CB's of Bennington County VT, A Guide . . .
$6.50 CB's of Massachusetts, A Guide . . . . . . . . .
.$7.00 There is a $2.00 postage and handling charge for
each book.
Covered Bridge Polo Shirts with N.S.P.C.B.
Logo.
For a white Polo Shirt with a blue NSPCB logo, send
$15.00 plus $3.95 for shipping and handling to June Roy,
73 Ash Street, Manchester NH 03104-4906. Specify,
Medium or Extra Large. This
is a fund raiser for the preservation fund. Buy several
as gifts for your family and friends. Shirts are 100%
pre-shrunk cotton. |
Other available books from the Society
Store
Covered Bridges of Vermont by Ed Barna. This is a
book depicting all the covered bridges in Vermont in the
year 1996. Postpaid $17.00 (From June
Roy) |
New Hampshire Covered Bridges, "A Link With Our
Past," by Richard Marshall, color photos by Arthur
Round. Excellent book on NH bridges. $20.00 plus $3.95
shipping and handling. Proceeds to Eastman
Fund. |
There is also an excellent book out on Vermont Covered
Bridges called, "Spanning Time -- Vermont's Covered Bridges."
You can get a copy by contacting Joseph Nelson, 2 Sugar Hill
Road, Underhill VT 05489 or or visit
www.vermontbridges.com. Joseph Nelson is the
President of the Vermont Society.
WORLD GUIDE or INDEX TO COVERED BRIDGE
TOPICS
Both are now available on computer diskette in either Mac
or PC format. Please specify your choice. It is in a
compressed format to fit on a PC computer disc. You must have
Zip Software to decompress it. If you do not have the Zip
software, Joe will send you a copy. The TOPICS index
includes: Table of Contents for each issue, an index to
subjects and authors, as well as more. The World Guide
is kept up-to-date and in the regular format. Order your
choice at $5.00 each from Joseph Cohen, 130 Westfield Drive,
Holliston, MA 01746 from mid-April until mid-September. The
rest of the year he can be reached at 210 Wellington F, West
Palm Beach, FL 33417.
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NSPCB ANNUAL DINNER Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 12:00 noon
This is the Annual Meeting and is being held on October 17th at
the French King Restaurant on Route 2 in Millers Falls, MA. See
dinner reservations and application below.
The French King Restaurant is located at the east end of the
French King Bridge. The well known landmark carries Massachusetts
Route 2 over the Connecticut River near Millers Falls, at a very
picturesque spot. The dinner will be served at 12:00 noon and
meeting will follow at 1 :00 P.M.
David C. Fischetti will be our speaker this year.
Cut off here or reproduce and send along with your check or money
order. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Dinner Reservation coupon for October 17,2004 annual meeting. To
be returned with payment as designated below. Please return no
later than October 10.2004.
_______ Whole Boneless Breast of Chicken with stuffing and gravy
. . $18.95 _______Yankee Pot Roast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$18.95 _______ Baked Haddock
au Gratin. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
$18.95 _______ Fisherman Casserole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19.95 Name
___________________________________________________
Address
_________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Telephone________________________________________________ Send
to: Carmela Sciandra, P.O. Box 398026, Cambridge, MA 02139
Make checks payable to N.S.P.C.B. Inc.
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Return to
top Joe Nelson, P.O
Box 267, Jericho, VT 05465-0267
This web site page was coded by J.C. Nelson. The
content is the intellectual property of the National Society for the
Preservation of Covered Bridges, Inc. and its membership. This file
posted July 20, 2004
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