David Topham, Treasurer, 11707 Oakmont Ct., Fort Myers, FL 33908-2825 239-433-1551;

Sunday, March 18 at 1pm Meeting will be held at the Plymouth Church, 87 Edgell Road, Framingham MA.

Sunday, April 22 at 1pm Meeting will be held at the Plymouth Church, 87 Edgell Road, Framingham MA. Joe Cohen will be the speaker. Topic will be "New Covered Bridges.” He will talk and show slides of newly constructed bridges and the ones they replaced (where appropriate).

Sunday, May 20 Executive-Only Board Meeting. Meeting will be held at the home of Joe and Marianne Cohen in Holliston, MA. The meeting will begin at noon and will include lunch.

Dear Fellow Members, Greetings!

First of all, please accept my warmest good wishes for the coming Holiday Season, and may 2007 bring much joy to each and every one of you!!

The Ninetieth Birthday of Richard Sanders Allen: Given the current efficiency of the postal services, by the time many of you receive this Newsletter, the event in question will probably already have taken place; nevertheless, on January 4th 2007, Richard Sanders Allen will be ninety years old.

For those of you who do not yet know his work, Richard Sanders Allen is the author, amongst other things, of the Covered Bridges of the Northeast, the Covered bridges of the Middle Atlantic States, the Covered Bridges of the South, and the Covered Bridges of the MiddleWest. He has also penned several books on aviation history, and is as well an authority on early blast furnaces and iron smelting. It was in fact Richard Sanders Allen who founded Covered Bridge Topics, our quarterly magazine, the first issue of which dates from April 1943. Mr. Allen turned Topics over to the National Society in 1952.

For the past seventy years, Rick, as he is known to his friends, has been a tireless researcher into all manner of things having to do with Covered Wooden Bridges, and is in no small measure responsible for the current interest in these structures. One of the many reasons for his success in this regard is his sparkling prose style, a sparkling prose style which makes reading any work of his a joy and a delight.

Members wishing to send Rick a card on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday should address these cards to Mr. Richard Sanders Allen, The Life Care Center of Lewiston, 325 Warner Drive, Lewiston Idaho 83501. And by all means, if any of you have not already done so, take one of his books out of the library and read it! I can practically guarantee that you will not want to put this book down until you have got to the end of it.

Rick Allen has been an honorary member of the National Society for quite some time now. The Society granted him this rather special membership in a vain attempt to honor him, but it is in fact he who honors us by his presence in our organization.

The Contoocook Covered Railroad Bridge; a Brief Update: Our part of this important project is fast approaching its end. The much needed repairs to the support systems at each of the four corners of the span have all been completed, and Timothy Andrews of Barns and Bridges of New England is now replacing the sideboarding and inside endboarding which had to be removed so as to gain access to the ends of the side trusses of the span. He has also taken away many of the materials he had assembled at the site in order to shore up the bridge during the repairs, most notably the steel I-Beams lent to us by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. (Many thanks, New Hampshire D.O.T.!!) Though I had promised you a full account of this project in the last President's Message, I am going to put the accounting in question off until such time as our part of the project is over and done with. I rather imagine, from what I know at present, that this accounting will therefore most likely appear in the Spring issue of the Newsletter.

The Pier and Wright’s Covered Railroad Bridges of Newport, New Hampshire: As many of you may already know, there are only eight Covered Railroad Bridges remaining in the world today, five of which are located in New Hampshire. Three of these structures, namely the Contoocook Covered Railroad Bridge, the Pier Covered Railroad Bridge, and Wrights Covered Railroad Bridge, are to be found along the same abandoned right-of-way of the Concord and Claremont Railroad. Both the Pier Covered Railroad Bridge and Wright’s Covered Railroad Bridge -- farmer Wright, after whom the latter span was named, is, by the way and as far as I know, no relation! -- find themselves in somewhat isolated areas, and are thus potential targets for both vandalism and arson. Deeply concerned by the possible loss of these two bridges to some sort of structural failure, the Town of Newport, New Hampshire, secured a grant which would have financed certain repairs to them that were initially being completed. The repairs in question were not immediately affected, however, principally because: 1) gaining access to this grant would have required a 20% matching share to be raised by the Town of Newport, and Newport, not a particularly rich community, did not feel, with all the other financial demands being placed upon it, that it could afford to commit the legally required sum to the railroad bridge project, and 2) upon reflection, good fire protection seemed much more important than the repairs which had first been proposed. Several years were to pass, however, after the latter realization, during which time not much importance took place. It then occurred to several members of the Newport Historical Society, and to certain other inhabitants of the Town, that if the matching shares were not raised fairly soon, and if a reasonable fire protection scheme were not quickly elaborated, the grant would be lost. Lacking an appropriate grant, of course, or that failing, a donor or donors with especially deep pockets, nothing could be done to or for the two structures in question. The Historical Society therefore got busy. As of this date, not only has a reasonable plan for fire protection of the Pier and Wright’s bridges been worked out -- application of “nochar” fire preventer, installation of a fire detection system, and finally, the setting in place of a dry pipe sprinkler system, in that order! -- but the Historical Society has already raised about a third of the sum needed to secure the above mentioned grant. Furthermore, the Historical Society, given the rate at which monies have coning in, fully expects to have raised about half the required amount by shortly after the first of the year.

This is a good project, well thought out and well supported at the local level. I would thus encourage all members of our Society who can, to donate to it. Checks should be made to the Pier Bridge Preservation Project, and sent along to the Sugar River Savings Bank, Post Office Box 565, Newport, New Hampshire 03773. Be sure to include on your envelope the notice, Attention Leighann King

Yours sincerely,
David W. Wright
President, National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, Incorporated

From: knappr@newpaltz.edu
Sent: Thu, 14 Dec 2006
Subject: Covered Bridges in China

Dear Carmela Sciandra and KC Klingensmith:

Over the years, I have learned a lot from your online newsletters and admire the wonderful work your organization -- made up of so many concerned individuals -- to preserve the legacy of covered bridges in North America.

My own research specialty is Chinese vernacular architecture, including especially houses and bridges, subjects I have published widely on over the past 40 years.

My current project is 'China's Old Bridges: Architecture Over Water,' which will be published in Fall 2007. A significant part of this book will highlight scores of unknown covered bridges in China, most of which have never been published about before. You'll be surprised that many pre-date the 19th century and that none have trusses. One of the most extraordinary support systems is called 'woven timber arch-beam.' Until recent years, it was believed this type had died out in the 12th century, but several dozen examples have recently been discovered in remote mountain areas, many of which I've visited.

In many ways, China is where the US and Canada were 100 years ago in terms of the fact that their covered bridges are only now being appreciated. Many are threatened although there have been quite a few wonderful tales of restoration. It is estimated that some 3000 are still standing, most in remote areas of the country!

While all of the photographs in my new book have been shot by my collaborator, a professional photographer, I thought that the readership of your newsletter might be interested in an advance peek at some of China's most exciting covered bridges. I've put some images on my homepage http://www.newpaltz.edu/~knappr/ (near the top, province-by-province). Other provinces will be added in the months to come.

I've just ordered the latest volume of your 'World Guide to Covered Bridges' since I'd like to help fill in some gaps and call attention to more in China than are normally listed.

With best wishes,

Ron Knapp
SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus
State University of New York at New Paltz
http://www.newpaltz.edu/~knappr/

Tim Andrews of Barns and Bridges of New England is continuing the process of lifting and underpinning the four corners of the Contoocook Covered Railroad Bridge in Hopkinton. The National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, Inc., is donating the cost of Andrews' work from its Eastman-Thomas Fund.

Built in 1889 for the Concord and Claremont Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad, the double Town lattice bridge is the oldest covered railroad bridge in the world. The span is under the administrative care of the Division of Historical Resources, which has no capital budget for its maintenance. Over the past decade, the National Society has donated repairs to the side sheathing and flat metal roof of the bridge, purchased fire retardant chemicals for the wooden span, and provided countless hours of volunteer labor in maintaining the bridge.

Andrews is using two large steel I-beams, lent by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, to lift each corner of the bridge without the need to jack the structure from the riverbed below. The beams have been lashed together to act as a single box girder more than seventy feet long, and the girder has been run through the bridge. One end is placed over the central pier of the bridge, elevated on cribbing which acts as a fulcrum. The other end projects beyond the portal of the bridge, where it can be jacked from solid ground. The girder is firmly attached to the adjacent wooden lattice trusses for stiffness. It is then connected to the floor beams below the lower chords of the bridge by stirrups made from high-strength steel.

By jacking the outer end of the box girder with hydraulic jacks, the girder is transformed into a second-class lever, lifting the entire corner of the bridge by upward pressure on the floor beams. Decayed bed timbers beneath the lower chords are replaced with new timbers made from longleaf southern yellow pine, treated with wood preservative and balanced on granite bridge seats.

The Contoocook Bridge was tipped off its abutments twice: by floods in 1936 and by the great hurricane of 1938. Despite this rough treatment, the corners of the bridge are generally in sound structural condition, requiring little repair. One corner suffered some mechanical damage from the tipping in 1936 or 1938, and another from incipient decay caused by the buildup of damp earth around the bottom chord.

Once the bridge is firmly placed on new bed timbers, NHDHR will move into a second phase of rehabilitation. Using funds from a federal Transportation Enhancement (TE) grant, the Division will install a fire detection and protection system in the bridge, and will paint the exterior.

The nearby Contoocook Depot has been restored by the Contoocook Riverway Association under the same federal Transportation Enhancement grant, in addition to a federal Scenic Byway grant and local donations. The depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in March 2006.

Contoocook Bridge is one of three surviving covered bridges on the former Concord and Claremont rail line. Two others, in western Newport, are also state-owned, but are administered as trail crossings by the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED). Together, the three remaining Concord and Claremont Branch bridges are among the most significant of the eight covered railroad bridges that survive in the world. NHDHR is also working with the Town of Newport and the Newport Historical Society to provide fire protection for the two western bridges.

Reprinted with permission from the quarterly newsletter, The Old Stone Wall, State of New Hampshire, Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Historical Resources, Volume XIV, Number 1 (Fall 2006), page 5.

With the shorter days and less enticement to be outdoors, the winter scanning and research season has gotten underway. As a result, you can expect to see more frequent updates to the Covered Spans of Yesteryear website – www.lostbridges.org.

This fall was a great time to get out and do some hands-on research. That is, traveling around New Hampshire to visit former bridge sites. While out exploring the Newport area I met some of the people from the Newport Historical Society. They are presently raising money for a $100,000, 20% grant match (grant is for $500,000) for fire suppression and repairs for the Pier Railroad Covered Bridge.

If you can help, donations can be sent to The Pier Bridge Preservation Project, c/o Sugar River Savings Bank, PO Box 569, Newport, NH 03773. They are planning some fundraising events and I will get information about those events distributed when I have more details. They have many Pier Bridge items for sale. Contact Jacqueline Cote, Treasurer and Fundraising Chair at ljcote@iglide.net or phone (603) 863-3105 for more details.

Recent updates include Vermont pictures from the Puffer Collection, substantial enhancements to a few counties in Pennsylvania and addition of some former covered bridges in Maryland, New Jersey and Ohio (Adams through Clinton Counties). Pennsylvania pictures are being scanned and may be appearing about the time you read this. We have begun work on New York, which, with Ohio, is the last of the "big" states to compile. There is no shortage of information available; it's just a matter of processing it all.

2007 will be the 80th anniversary of the 1927 flood that devastated Vermont. I have been working on compiling a list of the covered bridges lost during that great storm. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Some of you have already seen the beginnings of the presentation I am preparing on the topic. I hope to have it ready next summer.

To hear about updates as they become available visit the website and sign up for our mailing list. In addition to exploring the website, reports from the states and provinces that we have researched are available at the Covered Bridge Museum in Bennington, Vermont.

If you are interested in offering pictures of the lost bridges in your area and have the ability to scan them, please contact me. There is still a vast amount of territory to cover and any help will be greatly appreciated. Email is usually the most effective way to contact me - bill@lostbridges.org.

File Cleaning

The Coos County Democrat, Lancaster, NH, October 4, 2006. Bridge Reconstruction Nearing Completion. The estimated completion date for the Mechanic Street Covered Bridge is mid-November. The approximate cost of repairs is $715K with the town of Lancaster responsible for 20%, with the state paying the remaining 80%. Work done includes concrete abutments replaced, all of the bottom chords, over 350 trunnels, the roof, as well as new siding and clapboards.

Indianapolis Business Journal, November 6, 2006. Bridge Project Not Too Far for Zionsville Firm. The covered bridge, the first built in Parke County since 1910, spans 245 feet across Big Raccoon Creek. It replaces one destroyed by arson in April 2005.

The Ledger, MO, September 21, 2006. Repair Work Is Under Way At Union Covered Bridge. The Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources has begun work on cleaning, repairing and painting the Union Covered Bridge State Historic Site near Paris in Monroe County. A new fire alarm system will also be installed. For more information visit www.mostateparks.com

Brattleboro Reformer, VT, November 21, 2006. Bridge to Close for Repairs. The Creamery Bridge will be closed to both traffic and pedestrians for about six months. The wooden covered bridge that connects Guilford Street to Western Avenue is being shut down for repairs beginning Dec. 4, and continuing until June 2007.

The Coos County Democrat, Lancaster, NH, December 13, 2006. Mechanic Street Bridge Re-Opens. On December 6, the bridge re-opened to traffic with a ceremony attended by over 100 people. Ken Olson of Penacook, former NH Bridge Maintenance Administrator was on hand to help with the ribbon cutting.

CONTRIBUTORS: Carmela Sciandra, Bill Brandenburg, Jim Crouse, James Hull, Tom Walczak, Joe Nelson, Joye Olson.

	Lane County Public Works Office Covered Bridge Commemorative Coin

The Lane County Public Works Department will release the third of seventeen covered bridge commemorative coins on Saturday, December 2, 2006, in continuation of celebrating Lane County's heritage of covered bridges.

A total of 500 coins of Office Bridge have been minted with the first 25 numbered. 250 unnumbered coins will be available at the Sugar Plum Festival in Oakridge at the Oakridge Elementary School at 48119 E. 1st Street on Saturday, December 2nd from 9 am to 3 pm. Unnumbered coins are $25 each with a limit of 5 coins per person. AUCTION of numbered coins (starting w/number one) will take place in Westfir at 5:00 pm on December 2nd at the Office Bridge Lighting Festival at the junction of Westfir & Westoak Roads. Limited numbered Goodpasture Bridge and Lowell Bridge coins will also be auctioned.

On Monday, December 4th, at 8 am PST 225 unnumbered coins will be available to purchase for $25 each (Limit 5) at http://ecomm.lanecounry.org or in person at Public Works office, 3040 N. Delta Hwy., Eugene. Orders that require mailing will be charged $4 per coin s/h. No mail orders will be accepted prior to December 4th.

The covered bridge commemorative coin collection is being sold to help keep these historic structures accessible for years to come.

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Let’s start the new year out visiting our covered bridges and leaving tack up cards behind. This is a great way of letting visitors to these historic structures know about our society. Write or email me and I’ll send some right out to you.
      Another matter I need to address is the mail system. In June of 2006 a deposit was lost in the mail and I sent letters to those members affected by the loss. I received back most of the dues from members that I sent those letters to but still haven’t heard from a few. If you received a letter, from me and haven’t responded, I’d like to hear from you. Thanks to those who did reply and sent replacement checks.
      If that wasn’t bad enough, another recent deposit I sent out on December 5th was torn apart by “mechanical damage” according to the USPS. Some of those checks have been sent back to their owners by the USPS. If yours was returned to you, it’s stamped to the society on the back. Just mail it back to me so I can redeposit it and keep track of who may have been affected. As of yet, no part of the deposit has made it to the bank.
      I am sorry for this inconvenience and if I need any information from those affected I will let you know. I guess these things happen, but twice in one year has created a lot of work. I appreciate your patience and will try to get everything back in order as soon as possible. Until then, don’t miss the beauty of the season and photo opportunities.

Spanning New York State
Covered Bridge News

By Bob and Trish Kane

Hyde Hall Covered Bridge - June 6, 2006

September 9, 2006 - In spite of a brief afternoon shower just as the celebration was to begin, the day was a huge success! It began with a welcome reception at the Bath House sponsored by Glimmerglass State Park. This was a great opportunity to touch base with covered bridge friends traveling from near and far.
      At 9 am, many history buffs took advantage of the informative guided tour of the Hyde Hall Estate which was very interesting. Tour guides spoke of the role George Clarke played in the building of the covered bridge. Following the tour, those present were able to learn more about New York's Covered Bridges through a slide show presented by Dick Wilson, President of the NYSCB Society.
      Throughout the morning, folks were able to view various covered bridge displays and pick up covered bridge memorabilia at the sales tables. In honor of this historic event, a special commemorative postcard was issued. A representative from the Cooperstown Post Office was on hand to cancel these cards with a beautiful cancellation stamp designed especially for this event. (If you are interested in purchasing one of these postcards, there are only a few left. Contact Bob and Trish Kane at: bobtrish68@frontiernet.net to order one.) Glimmerglass has a wonderful picnic area and those who brought a picnic lunch, enjoyed the spectacular view of the lake.
      The celebration at the bridge was due to begin at 1:30 pm but a quick downpour postponed the event by about 30 minutes. The Park's staff quickly moved the podium, flags, chairs and guests inside the covered bridge. How fitting it was that the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge provided shelter from the storm. Once the storm moved on, the celebration got under way. Chuck D'Emperio, DJ from the WDOS/WSRK Radio Station in Oneonta, was the Emcee for the event and he was just terrific. Dave Peterson, Manger of Glimmerglass State Park welcomed everyone on behalf of Bernadette Castro, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Trish Kane, Event Chairperson, also welcomed guests to the event. Following the invocation by Dan West of the First Christian Church of South Valley, Pamela Powell from the Sherburne-Earlville Central School sang the national anthem. Pamela's voice is just spectacular, especially for someone who is only 13 years old! Guest speakers included: Hyde Hall Historian, Douglas Kent, Dick Wilson, President of the NYSCBS, and Joseph Conwill of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges.

Bob and Trish Kane chatting with Senator Seward following the celebration

      Our distinguished guest speaker for the day was Senator James Seward from New York's 51st Senatorial District. He was a fabulous speaker and all around great guy! Senator Seward grew up in the Cooperstown area and knows Hyde Hall and the covered bridge very well. He was pleased to know that the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. He spoke about the importance of preserving our state and national landmarks so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy them as much as we do today.       Following Senator Seward's remarks, Trish read congratulatory letters from the Presidents of the following Covered Bridge Organizations: Covered Bridge Society of Oregon, Indiana Covered Bridge Society, Ohio Historic Bridge Association, The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Society of Pennsylvania and the Vermont Covered Bridge Society. Leola Pierce, President of the Virginia Covered Bridge Society, was in attendance and read her congratulatory letter personally.
      Next came the unveiling of the historical marker (donated by the NYSCBS) by Senator Seward, Dave Peterson and Dick Wilson. Bob and Trish Kane made the presentation of the State and National Register of Historic Places certificate to Dave Peterson on behalf of the NY Parks Office. (The National Register of Historic Places lists buildings, sites, structures and objects worthy of being preserved. This official list includes places of national, state, and local importance.) Trish and Bob Kane then presented Senator Seward with a framed photograph of the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge in appreciation for his taking part in the celebration. Trish went on to thank everyone involved in making the event a success. The celebration ended with the benediction and Pamela Powell singing God Bless America. At the conclusion of the celebration there was a reception at the Bath House. It was an event that will long be remembered by those in attendance that day.

Unveiling the Historical Marker	Bob & Trish Kane making the State and National Register presentation to Dave Peterson

Special Thanks ~ It goes without saying that an event of this magnitude is only as successful as the people involved in organizing it. Bob and I would like to personally thank Senator James Seward, Bernadette Castro, Commissioner, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Dave Peterson, Manager, Glimmerglass State Park for their generosity in using their facilities and their wonderful assistance in organizing this historic event. Without them, this event simply would not have been possible.

Rexleigh -- NY 32-58-03 and Eagleville -- NY 32-58-01 -- Both of these bridges are currently under rehabilitation and are scheduled to be completed in 2007.

Rexleigh Covered Bridge Photo by R. Kane, November 22, 2006	Eagleville Covered Bridge Photo by R. Kane, November 22, 2006

Oxford, NY -- Connecting the Past with the Future - A true Bridger always gets excited when they hear of the possibility of a new covered bridge being built. And if you are one of those people, now is your chance to let your voice be heard! The iron bridge that spans the Chenango River in Oxford, NY is just around the corner from the Theodore Burr House (known as the Oxford Public Library) and is seriously failing and needs to be replaced.and soon. Dave Kennicutt, Project Manager for Delta Engineers, PC is fairly certain that construction of a new bridge will be necessary. He also stressed that the collaborative input from citizens and local leaders are extremely important elements that will determine the final design decisions. At a recent public meeting, the subject of design elements, and the famous Theodore Burr Arch came up. Kennicutt explained that a covered, authentic Burr bridge would not be a reasonable request; however, certain design elements suggestive of the Burr designs would be a possibility if there was enough public demand. Well folks, here is your chance to let your voice be heard. Please write, call or email with your request that an authentic Burr Truss Covered Bridge be built. Don't let them say, "It can't be done, as we all certainly know that new Covered Bridges are being built everyday, but there hasn't been a true Burr truss bridge built in quite some time. And it goes without saying that it would be a wonderful complement to the Theodore Burr House right around the corner. It will never happen if you don't let them know your thoughts. Please write to: Mayor Terry M. Stark, PO Box 866, Oxford, NY 13830-0866. You may also visit their website at: http://www.oxfordny.com. Look under the Bridge Survey Section on the right, and then click on Fill Out the Form Here section to submit your comments. Please note we only have a small window of opportunity to voice our concerns so please, write soon and let your voice be heard! The next public meeting will be held in early February.

Jay -- NY 32-16-01 -- Home Again! Many covered bridge enthusiasts never thought the day would come that the Jay Covered Bridge would ever be put back across the East Branch of the Ausable River, but indeed, it is now home again! And what a site to see! Stanley Graton, 3-G Construction of New Hampshire and Jerry Matyiko of Expert Home Movers from Maryland combined their efforts for this move.

October 1994	Under Rehabilitation - October 3, 2004

November 23, 2006	November 23, 2006

Delaware
Smith -- DE 08-02-01 #2 The following are excerpts from an email message we received from Sandy Adrion from New Jersey. We thought it was worth sharing.

      We went to Delaware today to see a couple of covered bridges that we had not seen in a while. First, we visited the Smith Bridge and stopped to take pictures as I think it is my favorite bridge down that way. But as we were going through the bridge, my sister June saw that someone had thrown out a cigarette and it was on top of some leaves against the side of the bridge. I asked her, "Wasthere smoke?" and she said, "Yes". I said, "Stop up here and I will go back and put it out." It is a busy covered bridge with lots of traffic and only one car can fit through the bridge at one time so there was no convenient place to stop. We went through the bridge and she pulled right over at the end of the bridge. At that point, I didn't care. I said, "If people can be that careless, then they can wait until we can get out and put it out." June jumped out and went over to where the cigarette was smoldering, and immediately put it out. When she got back into the car, she said if another car had come through the bridge, the leaves would no doubt have ignited from the breeze of it going past. I told her she saved another covered bridge from being damaged, AGAIN.ÿ I thanked her for doing that for all of us "Covered Bridge Fanatics." I just can't believe how careless and inconsiderate people are. Maybe they threw it out in the bridge on purpose, who knows!!! So that was my sister's good deed for the day!!!
Thanks to both Sandy and June for their eagle eyes and for putting out the smoldering cigarette!

Oregon

Coyote Creek/Swing Log - OR 37-20-02 Bill Cockrell reports that the Coyote Creek Covered Bridge has been closed to all traffic. The county plans to repair the bridge in 2007. Bill also reports that the Dorena Bridge/Star - OR 37-20-23 bridge near Cottage Grove was repaired. It was necessary to splice both the upper and lower chords and replace one of the diagonals. It is currently open with a 3-ton weight limit. The rehabilitation of the Harris Covered Bridge - OR 37-02-0 is now complete. Funds are currently being raised to support rehabilitation of the Ritner Creek Covered Bridge - OR 37-27-01. Thanks, Bill, for all this wonderful information on Oregon's Covered Bridges.

      Our deepest condolences are extended to Bill Cockrell and his family on the loss of his wife, Linda, on December 6, 2006. If you were fortunate to have known Linda, you were truly blessed. She was a lovely person and a true Bridger.ÿ She was by Bill's side during any and all covered bridge events and was very active in covered bridge preservation efforts.ÿ She was the impetus behind the Oregon Covered Bridge Festival and her passing will be a tremendous loss to this annual event.ÿ There will be a celebration of her life on December 30, 2006.

Tom Watrin Obituary: Tom passed away on September 28, 2006. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Dottie, family and friends.

The Newport Historical Society is raising money for a $100,000, 20% grant match (grant is for $500,000) for fire suppression and repairs for the Pier Railroad Covered Bridge, WGN 29-10-03.

If you can help, donations can be sent to The Pier Bridge Preservation Project, c/o Sugar River Savings Bank, PO Box 569, Newport, NH 03773. They are planning some fundraising events and they have many Pier Bridge items for sale.

All items listed below are sponsored by the Newport Historical Society, P O Box 413, Newport NH 03773 and proceeds will go to the Pier Bridge Preservation Project fundraising for the $100,000 grant match. Email Jacqueline Cote, Treasurer and Fundraising Chair at ljcote@iglide.net or phone (603) 863-3105. If you desire, I will email you pictures of the items that you are interest in. Include in the email any questions that you may have. Shipping charges are not included in the prices quoted. Please send zip code for shipping charges. Please specify if insurance is desired.

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Corbin Covered Bridge print Overall print dimensions 16” x 20”, with drawing dimensions 10 ¾” x 13 ¾”, sketch rendering of bridge. Bridge was destroyed by arson in 1993 and rebuilt in 1994. Print is signed by artist D. Gyles and numbered. 500 copies printed. Bronze covered bridge pin 1” long x ¾” high great detail The Corbin Covered Bridge By Sharon Christie Hardcover children’s book, each page beautifully illustrated, telling the story of the Corbin bridge, its fate by fire and the rebuilding and what the bridge meant to the community. A wonderful story for children. 21 pages Video – The Corbin Bridge, Spanning Generations by Media Tech, filmed by Dick Creterola Documents the rebuilding of the Corbin covered bridge during 1994 after being destroyed by fire. Wonderful documentary of rebuilding process from start to finish and dedication. Approximately 18 minutes Book – The Rebuilding of the Corbin Covered Bridge in Newport, New Hampshire By Patrick O’Grady. Soft cover, (8 ½ x 11), 96 pages, 137 photos, story of the townspeople’s efforts to replicate the bridge and the details of reconstruction process. An absolute must-have for any covered bridge fan Corbin Covered Bridge postcard (5 for $1) Booklet, The Covered Bridges of Sullivan County and Surrounding Area Sharon Christie, Editor, published by the Newport Historical Society. 26 pages of commentary, pictures and information on 22 covered bridges. Bumper Sticker, I ♥ Covered Bridges Color print of original painting of Pier Railroad Covered Bridge, matted ready to frame. Overall dimensions are 16” X 20”, print area 10” x 13 ½”. Available in royal blue matte or light blue matte. Signed by local artist, Barbara Huff. Available also matted under glass with gold frame. Framed, color print of original painting of Pier Railroad Covered Bridge matted under glass with gold frame. (smaller version of item 9 above) Overall dimensions are 13” x 16”, print area is 7 ½” x 9 ½”. Ceramic, white 11 oz mug. Graphic image of Pier Railroad Covered Bridge on front with information about the bridge on the back, all in black. Striking! Note cards. Cream stock note cards and envelopes with graphic image of Pier Railroad Covered Bridge on the front with detailed information about the bridge on the back. Inside is blank for message. Package of 5 Tee-Shirts – Pier Bridge graphic logo small image on front left side. Full size image on the back. Graphics in black. Shirt is stone. Excellent quality, no shrinkage Available in small, medium, large, X-Large XX-Large Long Sleeve Tee Shirt - Pier Bridge graphic logo, small image on front left side. Full size image on the back. Graphics in black. Shirt color is stone. Excellent quality, no shrinkage. Available in small, medium, large, X-Large XX-Large Sweatshirt – Pier Bridge graphic logo, small image on front left side. Full size image on the back. Graphics in black. Shirt color is stone. Excellent quality, no shrinkage. Available in small, medium, large, X-Large XX-Large Pencil sketch print of the Wright’s Covered Railroad Bridge by Shelley Dole. This is the other railroad covered bridge located in Newport just ¾ mile down stream of the Pier Bridge. There is very little available on the Wright’s Bridge. The bridge is named for S. K. Wright who sold the right-of-way in 1871 to the Sugar River Railroad. Overall dimensions approximately 13½” x 16½”. Sketch area is 9” x 12”. Matted in black. Striking! Signed by the artist and created specifically for this project. The original sketch will reside at the Newport Historical Society Museum. Hand painted Christmas ornament of the Pier Railroad Covered Bridge. 3” ball, front half with rendering of The Pier Bridge, back has “Pier Railroad Covered Bridge, Newport, NH – 1906 – 2006. Absolutely Gorgeous! Signed by the artist, a school teacher in Maine. Packed in special box surrounded by bubble Wrap. Very Important Announcement Available in February DVD Documentary on the Pier & Wright’s Railroad Covered Bridges Interviews of experts in the field of railroad covered bridges, commentary from the railroad men who were conductors and engineers on the Claremont & Concord Railroad during the 1950’s – 1970’s, and much more. Documenting history at its finest!! Don’t miss this one. Reservations being taken for The DVD or join us for “Dinner at the Theatre” – A Premier showing of the DVD coming in February.

$5.00 $5.00 $20.00 $10.00 $10.00 $0.25 $1.50 $2.00 $30.00 $59.00 $43.00 $5.00 $2.50 $10.00 $11.00 $18.00 $19.00 $30.00 $32.00 $20.00 $11.00 $20.00

We are very happy to have to offer 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.

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
4856 Spencer Oaks Blvd
Pace, FL 32571

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@verizon.net

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.

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 visit www.vermontbridges.com. Joseph Nelson is the President of the Vermont Society.

New book by Joseph Conwill: Images of America, "VERMONT COVERED BRIDGES." It sells for $19.99 plus $3.00 shipping and handling.