The "So Why Are Covered Bridges Red And Made Of Wood?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a few websites that deal with the history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  One such site had a few stories about Lancaster's covered bridges.  I have written a few stories in the past that dealt with covered bridges, but none had to do with what information I had just read.  So...I thought I would give you a few more facts about the many covered bridges that still make Lancaster County one of the neatest places to visit and explore by means of your automobile.  To begin, our covered bridges were pioneered in Switzerland in the mid-1700s.  Our country's first covered bridge was built in 1805 to bridge the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, but the world's longest covered bridge was built shortly after when Pennsylvania's  Columbia-Wrightsville (York County-Lancaster County) covered bridge was also built in the 1800s.  

The Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge

The bridge was 5,620 feet long with 27 piers that held the supports for the bridge that spanned the Susquehanna River.  It was this bridge that during the Civil War, Union forces burned on June 28, 1863, to prevent Confederates from crossing to the eastern side of the Susquehanna, which would have given them swift access to Lancaster and eventually Philadelphia.

The burning of the bridge during the Civil War.

The bridge's destruction forced the Confederate Army to change direction which in turn lead to their defeat at the three-day battle of Gettysburg.  The burning of the bridge also damaged trade within the state by cutting a major transportation artery.  All these bridges were built from wood due to an abundance of wood and it's low cost.  But why did they put a roof over the bridge?  Well, a bridge without a roof was said to last about 20 years while a covered bridge would last close to 100 years or more.  And placing wooden sides on the bridge was done to keep the horses from being startled while crossing the bridge. As for most bridges painted red...well, that was due to cost.  Red paint was cheap and it was also the color of most barns at the time.  

A beautiful red painted bridge with white painted opening.

Red paint was made by using skim milk, lime and iron oxide.  This mixture created a red, plastic-like coating which protected the wood.  Eventually, paint manufacturers began to produce paint with chemical pigments, but most farmers continued to buy red due to tradition and its low cost.  Now, the white trim on the covered bridges was to improve visibility of the bridges opening, especially in the dark.  Many of Lancaster County's covered brides are still painted red with some having no paint on them at all.  Take a tour of Lancaster County sometime and enjoy your trips over the one-lane covered bridges that line just about every Route in the county.  I do it all the time and never tire of it!  I've been driving over these neat symbols of history for over 60 years now.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.