West Cornwall Covered Bridge in West Cornwall, Connecticut
After years of trying and failing to construct a bridge to span the Housatonic River, the 172-foot-long West Cornwall Covered Bridge was constructed in 1841 and continues to carry traffic today.
But that doesn’t mean the longevity of this surviving historic covered bridge hasn’t come with problems. In fact, the bridge’s safety was questioned as traffic increased, leading to its temporary closure in the 20s.
In 1945 a 20-ton oil tanker fell through the floor of the bridge, and in 1968, the local community ultimately petitioned to have it renovated.
In 1973, the state’s Department of Transportation inserted a steel support deck that has kept the structure strong well into the 21st century and even won an award from the Federal Highway Administration for historic preservation.
The bridge has become one of the most famous surviving historic covered bridges in the US!
So much so that it inspired historian Michael Gannett to pen “A Historical Guide to the West Cornwall Covered Bridge,” earning it a spot in the opening of the 1967 movie “Valley of the Dolls.”
