From hidden valleys in the Berkshire Hills to the North Shore, 275
documented highway and railroad covered bridges have been constructed in
Massachusetts from the early 19th century onward, a figure that often
comes as a surprise to those who traditionally associate these unique
structures with northern New England. All but a small handful of these
are long gone, lost to modern replacements, fires, wear, and the
region's notorious weather, especially the devastating storms of the
late 1930s. The bridges came in all shapes and sizes, from diminutive
50-foot spans to multitiered structures of nearly 900 feet that crossed
the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers and were stout enough to support
railroads across their roofs.