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Against the Grain
We’ve Got You Covered
Images of covered bridges are found on jigsaw puzzles and postcards, and the structures themselves conjure up romantic encounters and provide great backdrops for wedding photos.
“Most of our covered bridges in Canada are over 100 years old,” says Dr. Dan Tingley, senior engineer at Wood Research and Development.
“They were covered, simply, to protect the old Howe trusses,” he says, “by keeping the moisture off the joints and preserving the wood. Moisture means decay, and decay means timber bridge degradation, especially around the joints and connections.”
Canada is home to 131 of these wooden gems, with 58 found in New Brunswick alone, according to Tourism New Brunswick.
The oldest covered bridge in this province is the Nelson Hollow Covered Bridge. According to Ray Boucher, president of the Covered Bridges Conservation Association of New Brunswick, it was originally built in 1870 but then replaced or renovated in 1899 and reopened the following year. “The bridge was restored in 1977 due to the efforts of the Doaktown Historical Society. It’s no longer in service, but is still open to pedestrians, ATVs, and snowmobiles.”
Built of wooden beam and plank in the Howe truss design, the bridge measures 80 ft. 6 in. “It’s one of only two covered bridges in New Brunswick with a hip (cottage) roof,” Boucher says.
A more recent restoration has been Milkish Inlet No. 1 Covered Bridge in Bayswater, NB. It was built in 1920, but under Tingley’s direction the bridge underwent a major retrofit and restoration in 2021. It’s a two-span, single-lane timber covered bridge; each span is 108 ft. long. “The timber originally put in the bridge was 180 years old,” Tingley notes. “We extended its life. We increased its capacity from 5 tons to 30 tons and extended those 180-yearold timbers another 100 years.”
Next on the restoration lineup is the Vaughan Creek Covered Bridge in St. Martins. It will be a two-lane highway bridge with regular 62.5-ton capacity. It’s currently under construction and scheduled for completion this summer.
