Covered bridges first began appearing in Missouri in the mid-1800s, with most of them appearing post-Civil War. Although there were 30 at one time, only four remain today. During a recent little getaway, Randy and I were able to see two and we find them enchanting! We will definitely visit the other two at some point in the future. Closest to the St. Louis area is Sandy Creek Covered Bridge. In 1872, six such covered bridges were constructed in the Jefferson County area to allow people access to St. Louis.
Sandy Creek rather reminded us of a little red barn. Although not terribly lengthy, it served the people of the area well. Way off the beaten path, it's found following a series of winding country roads with no signage. In fact, we never would have known it was there had we not been intentionally seeking its location (by the way, GPS led us right to it). It's nestled in a small park in Goldman, MO with a handful of picnic tables and some hiking trails. It makes a peaceful place to spend some time.
The second one we saw was Burfordville Covered Bridge which is in the southeastern portion of the state, near Jackson, MO.
Both of the bridges we visited use the Howe truss design. In such, vertical iron rods are spaced throughout the walls with diagonal timbers.
These bridges of yesteryear were covered in an effort to protect the wooden decking and internal structures. Additionally, the enclosure provided a level of comfort to the horses since it prevented their being spooked by the rushing water below. It was interesting to learn that all of these covered bridges charged tolls to anyone crossing over. Fees ran from 3 cents for individuals walking across to 37 cents for a five horse-drawn stage wagon. I have since read that collection of funds wasn't always enforced too well and that in some cases the tolls were discontinued. For example, it was ultimately the farmers of Burfordville who took it upon themselves to suspend the changes through complete refusal to comply (and by removing the gates themselves).
Visiting these bridges felt like stepping back in time! We thoroughly appreciate relics such as these and are grateful to the individuals and groups who put forth the effort to maintain old structures and grounds so that others may enjoy them and learn about our past. All four of the bridges in our state are owned and maintained by the MO State Parks. There are no admission fees to the parks themselves, but there are sometimes donation boxes. Although not applicable to the bridges, nominal charges are usually in effect for guided tours through historic homes and buildings and we have found the experience to always be well worth the few dollars.
We had a wonderful time exploring some offerings of our state's park system. I will share additional stops from this little adventure in future posts.
Have a fabulous day!