Cedar Covered Bridge facts for kids
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Cedar Covered Bridge
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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The Cedar Covered Bridge in 2016
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Winterset, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1883 1921 (moved) |
| Built by | H.P. Jones |
| Demolished | 2002 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000786 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 28, 1976 |
| Removed from NRHP | October 18, 2002 |
The Cedar Bridge is a famous covered bridge located in Madison County, Iowa, in the U.S. state of Iowa. This bridge has a fascinating history, as it has been built and rebuilt three times!
The very first Cedar Covered Bridge was built in 1883. It was moved in 1921 to a new spot. This bridge became quite famous after being featured in the 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County. Sadly, the original bridge was destroyed by fire in 2002.
A second covered bridge was built in 2004, looking just like the first one. But this bridge also faced a sad fate when it was destroyed by fire in 2017. Not giving up, the community rebuilt the bridge again, and the third version opened in 2019.
The Original Cedar Covered Bridge (1883-2002)
The first Cedar Covered Bridge was built in 1883 by a person named Harvey P. Jones. It was first located north of Winterset, Iowa, crossing over Cedar Creek. This bridge was about 78 feet long.
In 1921, the bridge was moved to its current location, still over Cedar Creek. This historic bridge became very well-known because a picture of it was used on the cover of the popular novel The Bridges of Madison County. Later, a movie was made based on this book, which also featured the bridge.
The bridge was cared for and even renovated in 1998. Because of its importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
However, on September 3, 2002, the original Cedar Covered Bridge was sadly destroyed by fire.
New Cedar Covered Bridge (2004-Present)
After the original bridge was destroyed, people wanted to bring it back. So, a new bridge was built in 2004. It was designed to look exactly like the first one, using similar materials and building methods. This new bridge was a wonderful addition and reopened in October 2004.
Unfortunately, on April 15, 2017, this second bridge was also destroyed by fire. This was a very sad event for the community.
But the people of Madison County were determined to have their beloved bridge back. They worked hard to rebuild it once more. The third Cedar Covered Bridge was completed and reopened in October 2019. This happened during the annual "Covered Bridge Festival," which was a special way to celebrate its return.
