List of covered bridges in Wisconsin facts for kids
A covered bridge is a special kind of bridge that has walls and a roof. It looks like a long, wooden tunnel! These covers protect the wooden parts of the bridge from rain, snow, and sun. This helps the bridge last much longer. Wisconsin has five authentic covered bridges. Only one of them is very old and historic.
Wisconsin's Covered Bridges
Wisconsin is home to five authentic covered bridges. What makes a bridge "authentic"? It's not about how old the bridge is, but how it's built! Authentic covered bridges use a special design called a truss system. Trusses are strong frameworks of triangles that help the bridge hold a lot of weight. Other bridges might use simpler supports called stringers.
Cedarburg Covered Bridge
The Cedarburg Covered Bridge is the only historic covered bridge in Wisconsin. It was built way back in 1876. This bridge crosses Cedar Creek in Ozaukee County. It is about 120 feet (37 meters) long. People once called it the Red Bridge. In 1927, a support was added in the middle of the bridge.
Red Mill Covered Bridge
The Red Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1970 in Waupaca County. It's shorter than the Cedarburg bridge, at about 40 feet (12 meters) long. This bridge crosses the Crystal River. Like many covered bridges, it uses a design called a Town lattice truss.
Smith Rapids Covered Bridge
The Smith Rapids Covered Bridge was built more recently, in 1991. You can find it in Price County, crossing the Flambeau River. This bridge is about 94 feet (29 meters) long. It's also sometimes called the Chequamegon Bridge.
Springwater Volunteer Covered Bridge
The Springwater Volunteer Covered Bridge was built in 1997 in Waushara County. It's about 44 feet (13 meters) long and crosses the Pine River. This bridge was built to look like a smaller version of the famous Cedarburg Covered Bridge!
Stonefield Village Covered Bridge
The Stonefield Village Covered Bridge was built in 1962 in Grant County. It's located in Cassville and crosses Dewey Creek. This bridge is about 51 feet (16 meters) long. It uses a different truss design called a Howe truss. The Wisconsin Historical Society owns this bridge.
See also
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin
- World Guide to Covered Bridges
