Covered Bridges
Berkshires and Pioneer Valley are home to historic covered bridges
5 listings
Charlemont, MA
Bissell Bridge
Route 8ALocation: Route 2 to Charlemont; turn right onto Route 8A North; the bridge is 600 feet from Route 2.
The Bissell Covered Bridge, built in 1951, crosses Mill Brook just north of Charlemont. The bridge is closed to vehicles but open to pedestrians. The bridge is the second covered bridge at this location. One-span variation of a Long truss; 60 feet long. Parking on the north side of bridge along Route 8A, on the east side of the road.
Sheffield, MA
Upper Sheffield Bridge
Bridge Road (also: Covered Bridge Lane)Location: Take US 7, about 0.8 miles north of Sheffield, then east 0.2 miles to the bridge.
The Upper Sheffield Covered Bridge, built in 1999, carries Bridge Road over the Housatonic River. This bridge is replaces a historic bridge which was built in 1832 and destroyed by fire in 1994. It was designed to be as close to a reproduction of the historic original as modern engineering standards would allow. The bridge is now open to foot traffic only. One-span Town Lattice truss; 93 feet long.
Conway, MA
Burkeville Bridge
Route 116Location: From Greenfield take Route 91 South to exit 25 and Route 116 North to Conway. From the center of Conway go north on Route 116 toward Ashfield, about one mile. The bridge is on the left, open only to pedestrians.
The Burkeville Covered Bridge, built in 1870, is the oldest surviving covered bridge in the United States. The bridge crosses the South River just west of Conway. It is believed to be unique in the Northeast in its forward-looking incorporation of iron tension members into a traditional timber truss, and it has been said to represent state of the art wooden bridge building as practiced by knowledgeable builders of its period. Closed to traffic. One-span variation of a Howe truss; 107 feet long. There is one small parking area directly in front of the bridge.
Ashfield, MA
Creamery Bridge
Creamery RoadLocation: On the south side of Creamery Road, south of the village of Ashfield.
The Creamery Covered Bridge, built in 1985, crosses Creamery Brook south of Ashfield. It is the entrance to private property. One-span queenpost truss; 40 feet long. No parking available.
Colrain, MA
Arthur A. Smith Bridge
Lyonsville RoadThis is the last surviving Burr arch-truss covered bridge in Massachusetts. Originally erected further downstream about 1870, the bridge was moved to the Lyonsville Road crossing of the East Branch of the North River in 1886. The single-plank timber arches that sandwich its multiple-kingpost trusses (forming the Burr arch-truss configuration) appear to have been in place from the start. A much heavier pair of nail-laminated plank arches was added in about 1930 inside the trusses to strengthen the bridge. Length of 100 feet.