Kentucky’s Covered Bridges
Kentucky’s Covered Bridges by Robert W. M. Laughlin, published by Arcadia Publishing in 2007, offers an insightful exploration of the state’s historical covered bridges. This illustrated edition, comprising 127 pages, delves into a lesser-known aspect of Kentucky’s heritage, highlighting the craftsmanship of builders like Wernwag, Bower, and others whose names have faded over time. The book reveals that Kentucky was once home to the longest single-span wooden bridge in the world and a covered bridge that witnessed a Civil War battle, providing a unique perspective on the state’s architectural history.
Readers will discover the impact of time, neglect, and misguided maintenance on these structures, which have significantly diminished in number. The narrative uncovers that Kentucky once boasted over 700 timbered tunnels, with more than 50 surviving into the 1950s, and currently retains 13 of these historic bridges. Through this examination, the book sheds light on the significance of these structures within the broader context of U.S. history and local heritage, making it a valuable resource for those interested in the history of the South and the evolution of American infrastructure.
Official synopsis Publisher
Kentucky is well recognized for bourbon, bluegrass, and the Kentucky Derby. When thinking of covered bridges, the commonwealth is not the state that readily comes to mind. Many of Kentucky’s covered bridges were built by such men as Wernwag, Bower, Carothers, Day, Stone, and Long, but many of the names were never recorded or have been lost to time. Kentucky once was home to the longest single-span wooden bridge in the world and to a covered bridge through which a Civil War battle was fought. Time, arson, progress, neglect, and misguided maintenance have spelled the demise of the majority of these structures. Readers of this volume might be surprised to learn that Kentucky once claimed more than 700 timbered tunnels and that over 50 of these survived well into the 1950s. Equally surprising, the commonwealth is still home to 13 of these structures.
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