Like I said in the last post, I decided to take back roads to get over to the west side of the state. Since I was already on M-21, I decided to turn north as I got to Lowell. I figured that I might as well get some drone pictures of the Fallasburg Bridge.
It's kind of amazing that Michigan doesn't have more covered bridges that it does. You would think that there would be more with all the rivers that snake through the state.
After someone burned the White's Bridge down, this is one of two covered bridges left that was built in the 1800's. Although there is some debate whether this is still original or not as it has been refurbished a couple of times since it was built.
Back to my original point, why aren't there many covered bridges in Michigan?
When covered bridges were being built elsewhere, Michigan was still relatively unsettled in many places. So there weren't as many roads. Also Michigan is was relatively poor compared to its neighbors in the south (Ohio and Indiana). So many of the bridges constructed from that time would have been of simpler designs.
And probably when those bridges were finally replaced, there were improvements in bridge construction using other materials.
I suspect that may have to do with Michigan being almost deforested after the lumbering era.
When you consider that many of the covered bridges in Ohio and Indiana are from the 1870's (or so), Michigan was in the throes of a lumbering boom.
I would imagine they wouldn't want to wood that they could sell for things like bridges and what not.
So when you think about that way, it makes sense.
So as a result, there are other states with way more covered bridges that here. But then again, Michigan beats them on lighthouses.
No comments:
Post a Comment