Photographs of the Bridges
Ashtabula County Covered Bridges, Ohio
When studying regional clusters of objects such as covered bridges, it is rarely obvious why a cluster exists. Is it because more were constructed here than in other locations? Is it because the bridges in other locations were lost in greater numbers? Was a prominent local construction company being patronized? Is it coincidence, or just random?
In the case of the cluster of wooden covered bridges in Ashtabula County, Ohio, the reason is well-documented. Ashtabula County is the center of a prominent cluster of covered bridges because a single individual, in the early 1980s, decided that the community should protect, cultivate, and expand their covered bridge heritage to create a prominent tourist attraction. Then he spent much of the next 30 years making this vision a reality.
Ashtabula County was once home to 48 covered bridges but only 12 remained by 1980. Having grown up in the county and watched as the covered bridges disappeared one-by-one, John Smolen’s first act as county engineer was to develop a proposal for the county commissioners. He proposed that the 12 remaining bridges should be rehabilitated, one each year. Of the 12, all but one still carry traffic, and the lone exception, Graham Road Covered Bridge, is the center of a Metropark, hosting events such as dinners, picnics, and weddings.
In addition to the rehabilitation of the old bridges, Smolen championed the construction of wooden covered bridges when new bridges were needed. The county now has six covered traffic bridges that have been constructed since 1983, including both the shortest and longest covered bridges in the world, as well as a gorgeous covered pedestrian bridge in one of the most scenic locations in the county. The success of Smolen’s program is celebrated every October with the Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival. The first annual festival was held in 1984 and was used as an opening and dedication ceremony for the completion of the rehabilitation for the Middle Road Covered Bridge. Since then, many of the festivals have included openings and dedications for both rehabilitation projects and new covered bridges.
Of course, the most important activity to pursue at the festival is to find and inspect each of the 19 covered bridges in the county. The bridges are in the northeast, northwest, and southwest parts of the county, with none in the southeast. As with any cluster of covered bridges, they encompass a range of old, new, large, small, clean, rustic, historic, tourist gimmicks, and other types of bridges. Accessibility varies among the bridges. All are drivable except Riverview, which was constructed as a pedestrian bridge in a park, and Graham Road, bypassed and preserved in a park. Smolen-Gulf and Harpersfield are also in county parks and can be accessed by parking in lots at those parks. Mechanicsville and South Denmark are also bypassed by newer bridges but remain drivable. Both can be viewed easily from the side by walking across the bypass, and both have large barn quilt square designs painted on their sides. West Liberty Street Bridge is located in a downtown area, with ample parking along streets or at businesses. The other 12 bridges have space at one end, some more than others, to pull over your car to visit the bridge.
There is also a more detailed description of the bridges, and the festival, provided in my book, Bridgespotting Part 2: A Guide to Even More Bridges that Connect People, Places, and Times.