Delaware's Covered Bridges

I have written before about my love of covered bridges. I admit that I was not aware that northern Delaware had some covered bridges until I stumbled across one of the three one day while I was driving somewhere else.

A bit of research showed that only three "authentic" covered bridges exist in Delaware, all in New Castle county. While some covered bridges exist in Kent and Sussex counties, they are not deemed authentic. To be so, the bridge must be constructed with tresses, not other methods. Who knew?

ASHLAND COVERED BRIDGE

Standing since 1860, this is the oldest covered bridge in Delaware. It is lovely and is very heavily trafficked. In spite of a huge sign showing the clearance, trucks manage to damage it all the time. Its most recent major repair was in 2014.

SMITH BRIDGE

The original bridge was built in 1839 as a crossing over the Brandywine near Winterthur. In 1961, it was completely destroyed when people out for Mischief Night set fire to it and burned it to the ground. When DelDOT rebuilt the bridge, it did so without its cover.

Locals missed the covered bridge, so this bridge was built to the tune of $1.2 million. It is a beautiful bridge that is very heavily used. It is difficult to get too close because of the traffic, but as I looked at it and watched dozens of cars use it, I was impressed at how perfectly it fits into its surroundings.

WOODDALE COVERED BRIDGE

Nearly identical to the Ashland Bridge above, this was originally built in 1850. Along with the Ashland Bridge, they are the only two covered bridges that survive from what was originally twenty-six that crossed Red Clay Creek in 1868.

The original bridge was destroyed by Tropical Storm Henri in 2003, but was completely rebuilt. It is being used today, but not as much as Ashland. It crosses the creek from the main road to what was once a thriving little town in the 1800s thanks to paper and iron mills built along the creek right here. All that remains now are a few of the beautiful old stone houses.

LOGISTICS:

It is very easy to see all these bridges in one afternoon. In fact, Buddy and I found and photographed all three and still had time for a hike in a park and some other exploring. The great thing about this trip is that you will drive through some of the most beautiful scenery in Delaware, rolling hills with trees that go on for miles. You will also see DuPont estates and some of the other beautiful houses owned by Delaware's movers and shakers.

A word of warning, however, The roads themselves are hilly and twisty. While is is tempting to gape at everything around you, keep your eyes on the road. The cars coming towards you sometimes like to drift across into your lane.

To find the bridges, put the names into your GPS and let the roads take you where they will. Part of the joy of this trip is just watching the scenery roll by. Once you find them, photographing them is a bit tricky. There is not a natural place to pull over, so I just got as far off the road as I could and got my photos quickly. Wooddale is a bit easier as it is off the beaten track. Go through the bridge and you will find plenty of places to park for a short stay.