Covered Bridges: A Journey Through History

As many as 15,000 covered bridges were built in America over the past 200 years. Fewer than 1,000 remain. Each of these iconic wooden structures has a story to tell. Sadly, the number of covered bridges is dwindling yearly due to age, damage caused by vehicles, fires, and floods. Even though all covered bridge share some common structural elements, each bridge reflects the unique character of the architect and builder. And every bridge has its own story.

Join Melinda Elliott in a departure from Southbury-based lectures and into the wider exploration of discovery about covered bridges. She will weave an overview of the origins of the structures with fascinating stories, legends, and myths. The accompanying photographs are from her road trips in New England and around the country.

What can we learn from a covered bridge? Where can you go to visit one of these historic treasures? You will find the answers in Covered Bridges: A Journey Through History.

Melinda K. Elliott grew up with a keen interested in history. She is always researching some historical topic and loves delving into the stories of long-forgotten people. Melinda enjoys sharing her latest finds through writing blog posts, articles, brochures, and books. She has had speaking engagements throughout of the state and on various zoom webinars streamed around the world. Melinda is the president of the Southbury Historical Society, and director of The Bullet Hill School – A Living Museum program. Her published books include Connecticut Schoolhouses Through Time, Southbury Through Time: Remnants of Our Past, and No Swastikas in Southbury. Melinda and her husband, Ray, enjoy road trips and are always on the lookout for one-room schoolhouses, covered bridges, old mills, and historic villages. They have three children, all living nearby, and eight grandchildren to spoil.

Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. Registration is required. For more information about this program, please email Rebecca at rrandall@biblio.org or call the reference desk at 203-262-0626 ext 130.