David Topham, Treasurer, Nov thru April only: 11707 Oakmont Ct., Fort Myers, FL 33908-2825 239-433-1551;
May thru Oct: 45 Village Way No. 50, Rockport, ME 04856-3805, 207-596-7472

Sunday, July 23 Contoocook Railroad Bridge in Hopkinton, NH. Lunch will be at noon at the pizza place next to the bridge. Meeting will follow.

Sunday, August 27 Annual picnic in Westminster, VT. Cookout at noon, meeting at 1pm.

Sunday, September 24 We will meet at 1pm at The Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT which is presenting, Covered Bridges: Spanning the American Landscape, a new exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution. Norwich is five miles north of the intersection of I-91 and I-89.

Sunday, October 15 NSPCB Annual Meeting at the French King Restaurant in Millers Falls, MA. See last page of newsletter for dinner reservation coupon and more information.

Dear Fellow Members, Greetings!

When I was much younger, much, much younger than I am today, and when, on occasion, I became impatient respecting some forthcoming event -- Christmas or my birthday often seemed an eternity away! -- my mother always said that as I grew older, time would pass more quickly. Unfortunately, I am now in the unenviable position of being able to verify what my mother told me so many years ago. Yes indeed, as one ages, time does appear to pass ever more quickly. A case in point: it is hard for me to believe that it has already been a year since last I exhorted all of you to renew you memberships in the National Society. Yet a year it has been, and of course, it is still important that all of you should continue to support the National Society and its work by means of your membership dollars. As I have remarked many times before, there is much strength to be had in numbers. Also, I hope that all of you who are in a position to do so, will consider making a contribution to the Eastman-Thomas Fund for Covered Bridge Preservation. It is after all thanks to this fund that the National Society is able to undertake preservation projects on its own. Please remember that a dollar donated to the Eastman-Thomas Fund is a dollar which will be spent again and again, as it is only the interest earned from monies contained in this fund which is disbursed for restoration and/or stabilization and preservation of historic Covered Bridges.

And now, some Covered Bridge news.

The Contoocook Covered Bridge in Hopkinton, New Hampshire: Those of you who are long-time members of the Society will probably recall that it was in 1994 that the Society organized its first work party at the site of the Contoocook Covered Railroad Bridge. Since that date, the Society has been collaborating closely with the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources in an attempt to stabilize and preserve this structure. To that end, we have dug out the four corners of the span -- all four were buried in sand, gravel, dirt, and other debris -- had the roof and sideboarding repaired, devised a paint formula which replicates fairly closely the one employed by the Boston and Maine Railroad, and are currently in the process of having the four corners of the bridge lifted up, and the deteriorated bed timbers and corbels of the span replaced. Tim Andrews, of Barns and Bridges of New England, is the Bridgewright for the latter operation, as he was for the sideboard replacement of several years ago. It was Tim, in fact, who devised the rather ingenious shoring scheme which is at present holding up one of the corners of the Contoocook span. This shoring will be moved from corner to corner of the structures as work progresses, until all of the four corbels and sets of bed timbers needing to be replaced, have been. (The corbels and bed timbers over the central pier are in splendid shape, and thus shall be left strictly alone.) Upon completion of the corbel-bed timber operation, the task of the National Society at Contoocook will be over. Others will carry on in our place with the installation of a fire detection and a dry pipe sprinkler system, the application of a fire retardant product -- no char fire preventer on the interior of the structure -- and finally, the repainting of the span using the formula developed by the National Society and mentioned above. Amongst other things, I would point out here that none of what the Society has been doing at Contoocook would have been possible without the monies of the Eastman-Thomas Fund for Covered Bridge Preservation. Once again, dear members, please give as generously as you can to this fund when you renew your membership in the National Society.

Joseph Conwill, Editor of Covered Bridge Topics: Most of you will I'm sure be saddened to learn that our much esteemed Editor of Covered Bridge Topics, Joseph D. Conwill, recently fell off the roof of one of his sheds and badly injured a foot. As unfortunate an event as this was, in a certain sense, Joseph has still been a lucky fellow, given that many have fallen from lesser heights with much graver consequences. Be that as it may, Joseph's injury has required surgery, now successfully completed. Nevertheless, Joseph will be mostly out of action for the next couple of months at least. Should any of you wish to send him a card or letter, you can write to him at the address shown on the second page of Covered Bridge Topics.

In the meantime, have a wonderful summer!!

Yours sincerely,
David W. Wright
President, National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, Incorporated

Thank you for the great response last newsletter for the yearly dues. Yes, it's that time again. How fast the year goes by. If you have a RED label, your dues for the 2007 year are now due. You don't want to miss any issues of the Covered Bridge Topics and Newsletter. We've had some good growth this year with memberships and members converting to be Life members. The dues are only $15 individual/family, $250 for a single life and $300 for Mr. & Mrs. Life membership. Students are always welcome for only $5. Canadian membership is $19 and European membership is $25. We also still have tack-up cards available for your bridging trips. Tack-up a card at all the bridges you visit and let everyone know the Society is here for the preservation of these historic structures. Write or email me and I'll send you some cards. On a personal note, I'd like to thank those that sent me a photo of a bridge they have visited. I've been going through Covered Bridge withdrawal living in Florida, so I'm taking a trip up to Georgia for 4 days to take some bridge pictures. I hope you all have a great summer. Happy Bridging!!

Note and photo from Allen Martin: Your last newsletter mentioned the Bob White and Jack's Creek bridges near Woolwine, VA. These are the two old bridges in the area, but there is an authentic newer bridge there as well. It is the Clifford Wood Bridge (46-68-A) and it can be seen from SR 8. Email: apm4347@verizon.net

Editor's Note: This was originally submitted to member Trish Kane.

Dear Trish,
April 3, 2006

Cruising down a winding stretch of Perry County's highway west of Loysville, PA my eyes roved from side to side searching for the covered bridge that the ADC Atlas indicated should be in this area.

Patricia Cook, a 4th Vice President of the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Society calls people who purposely roam America's landscape searching for covered bridges "bridgers," a name that aptly reveals the nature of people so historically inclined.

That pretty well describes me as well today, but it wasn't always that way. Years ago, while recuperating from a spinal injury suffered in a factory accident, "cabin fever" got the best of me as I heard the birds outside my window singing and saw them twitting among the maple trees.

Moving as slow as molasses in January, I dressed, grabbed my drawing pad, a light-weight chair, and a blanket and headed out the door. Stowing my gear in the back seat of my trusty Plymouth K Car, I got in the drivers seat and made myself as comfortable as possible, started the car and headed out of Baltimore for the backwoods and dirt roads.

In the 3rd week of March of this year, I'm doing much the same now as I did then with one exception. Then I was hunting for old mills, (you know the place where farmers had their grain ground into flour.) Now, I'm scouting for covered bridges.

As I'm rounding a slight curve in a dip in the roadway, I see to my right a red-covered-bridge. Traveling too fast to make a quick turn-in, I go on past until I can turn around and then come back and park off the pavement.

Picking up my digital camera, I step out of the car and cross the road to get my first real view of the bridge. Instead of Roddy Covered Bridge, I'm greeted by one of the most beautiful sights a history buff can see. I have found a one-of-a-kind combination covered bridge, millers house and an old stone gristmill.

Peering through brush and trees that covered a slope between me and the architecture below, I tried to find a place where I could get a clear shot. It was impossible. No wonder no one ever mentioned the mill and house. The entire property was surrounded by trees and head-high bushes so thick, only the most ardent photographer would try to get in for a good picture.

Something I'm learning about "bridgers": They don't just go out and drive around hoping to find a covered bridge no more than those who love mills drive the roads looking for them. No, both of these types of people, take great preparation, studying maps, and other resource materials identifying locations and the feasibility of reaching a site.

Standing within a few yards of the old Roddy Covered Bridge, I noticed that the exterior, vertical wall boards constantly rattled as though being played by a pianist while a buffeting-brisk, cold breeze came down through the little valley, made me shiver.

The mid-victorian miller's house and the aged stone mill both appeared to be under-going a face lift while the owners of the property were allowing the bridge to succumb to the elements.

The next weekend, my wife and I were searching for another old covered bridge in Frederick County,Maryland. Having almost the same name, Roddy's Creek Covered Bridge, we wondered if the builder of the property up in Pennsylvania might have been the same, but when we did find it, no locals had any answers for us.

Located a few miles north of Frederick, Maryland, just off Route 15, it crossed a little trout stream and had a companion structure, some hundred yards away. It was a home built in the mid- twentieth century of fine brick and was, obviously once a farmstead, complete with a corn-shed crib, and two small stone sheds, one probably a springhouse, the other for cold storage. About ten yards behind the corncrib was a privy, a building no farm would be without.

My former business, Gordy's Mills became so productive and varied that it was renamed Historical ReCreations, because I drew not only old mills but farms, villages, forges, furnaces and also historic homes. At a point in time, a customer asked me if I could venture up into the air so more could be seen and from that time on, I offered perspective drawings called "birds-eye- views," complete with terrain features such as roads, fields, bridges, orchards, hills, valleys, mountains, gardens, chicken coops, barns, kilns, churches, graveyards, and liveries, etc.

Then in 2003, I came up with another bright idea. Why not include in the pen and ink drawings I was doing for my customers, some real life and that's how "Living Scenes A Century or Two Ago" was born. Pictures then began to contain people doing chores, wagons were pulled by draft animals, and the entire area took on real life business.

Drawing mills since the early 1990's, I think I've covered every known scenario that exists whether the mills wheel is breast-fed (water comes to the middle of the wheel), undershot (water flows under the wheel), or overshot (water flows through a flume over the top of the waterwheel) in a stone, frame, brick, log, or plank structure.

But for the last two or three years, I've wanted to change my venue. Someone expressed to me that while there were lots of covered bridge artists, they knew of no one who was preserving for posterity, the combinational mills and covered bridges that used to dot the countryside but that have all but disappeared from the American scene.

Taking the catfish on the line, I began the task of searching out the photo divisions at The Library of Congress and found to my dismay only a handful of mills and covered bridges together in one picture. Finally reaching a director at America's greatest trove of historical photographs, I was told that the reason that so few mill and covered bridge combinations existed was because that's not what people and researchers are looking for and the FOCUS of the library must be to serve the greatest amount of people or lose some of its federal funding.

Then I contacted various people in different societies as well as historical trusts and state archives. No matter where I turned, there was no assist. Of course, I contacted members of the few covered bridge groups that I knew of, but even the best in their societies had only a few to add to my slowly growing archive.

At last I'm turning to you, the readers of the different magazines and pamphlets produced by the eight or so Covered Bridge organizations in the United States and Canada.

What I need are photographs or copies of the same, both old and new, of covered bridges and mills (when I say mills, one, I mean Grist Mills evidenced by exterior waterwheels or buildings with an archway on one of its sides where water flows through to and from the internal wheels or turbines; two, buildings of one or more stories, having a protruding small roof above the highest center door. This is called the "catshead" and three, mills, i.e. factories, plants, manufacturing facilities, etc.

There are thousands of libraries, museums and other repositories that may have in their files . . . old pictures depicting mills and covered bridges together. There may even be some glass plate collections such as the one called MG-218 which is supposedly housed in the Pennsylvania Archives at Harrisburg.

Since gas prices are escalating so quickly, there seems to be only one direction to go in search of such treasures. To those of you who have been taking pictures for years, may have just what I need. Go to your vast personal collections of photos and see if you can find what I have described.

So what beyond this do I need? For one thing, when you come upon a mill and covered bridge together, find out as much as you can about their location, name of the stream the bridge crosses, name of the mill, owner, when both of them were built and by whom. And most of all, get me a copy of them together, even if the best you can do is a Xerox, Canon, Polaroid, or whatever...copy.

From these, my aim is to draw them for posterity. If some of you, out there want to really help out, you can send donations to me at: Gordy Callison, 1315 Chesaco Ave Suite 313, Baltimore, MD 21237 or e-mail me at miles@gordysart.com

File Cleaning

Sentinel Weekly, Perry County, PA, April 8, 2006, Two Perry Bridges Being Rebuilt. The Dellville Road Covered Bridge in Wheatfield Township is due for retirement when a modern structure replaces it in June 2007. Saville Covered Bridge in Saville Township is on PennDOT's repair plan for this summer. Bistline/Flickinger's Mill Bridge and Adairs/Cisna Mill Bridge, both over Shermans Creek, are scheduled for repairs. Repairs to Adairs will begin in June.

Itemizer-Observer, Dallas, Oregon, April 20, 2006, Historic Covered Bridge is at a Crossroads . The Ritner Creek Covered Bridge, built in 1928 on the Kings Valley Highway, was the last covered bridge removed from the state highway system. It was used as a remote park attraction until its closure in 2003 due to deterioration and structural concerns. The bid process to restore the bridge has failed to produce a contractor to do the work on budget.

Chicago Sun-Times, January 30, 2006, Bridge Hit by Arson to Rise Again. The 245-foot Bridgeton Covered Bridge in Rockville, IN, was destroyed by fire last year. Now foresters are evaluating trees offered by property owners eager to help in the reconstruction.

The Tribune, May 19, 2006, County Seeks Bridge Money . County commissioners have agreed to seek federal money to repair and restore all of Jackson County's covered bridges, including Bell Ford Bridge, Medora Covered Bridge, and Shieldstown Bridge. That funding could come as early as 2008 from federal highway money, which is generated, in part, by federal gasoline taxes.

Albany Democrat-Herald, OR,May 13, 2006, Sweet Home Awaits Bridge Assessment. Bridge expert Phil Pierce inspected the Weddle bridge in Linn County (37-22- 05), and is expected to send the city his assessment of the bridge's structural problems along with a cost estimate for future services. The first repairs will probably be a stabilization of the underside of the bridge and repairing the upper chord so a new roof can be installed.

May 19, 2006, Wimer Covered Bridge. Only hours ago Jackson County announced receipt of a $342,000 grant to help with rebuilding the Wimer Covered Bridge. Those funds, with others that have been in keeping for a new wooden covered bridge, should put us very close to the total costs. The press release just went up on the local paper web site. See www.rogueriverpress.com. It should be posted on our web site soon too -- see www.wimercoveredbridge.org, Dennis Rasmussen, Co-chairman, Citizens for Rebuilding the Wimer Covered Bridge.

The Tribune, April 5, 2006, County Bans Foot Traffic on Covered Bridge. Jackson County Board of Commissioners agreed to close the Medora Covered Bridge to pedestrian traffic and proceed with a possible plan to stabilize its east span. The three-span bridge was built in 1875 and crosses the East Fork of the White River. At 434 feet, it's the longest in the USA and the second longest in the world. The county has received a $500K grant to rehabilitate the bridge, but it needs a $125K local match.

The Tribune-Star, April 14, 2006, Storm Blows Off Parts of Mansfield Structure's Roof. The 139-year-old Mansfield Covered Bridge remains closed, and parts of its roof lay in ruins after strong winds blew through the area. Large sections of the bridge's roof were blown off during a storm Friday morning. Pieces of the roof were found hanging in a nearby tree, scattered on the ground and submerged in the Big Raccoon Creek. 160 feet of the 247-foot metal roof will be replaced.

Pennsylvania, May 22, 2006, Truck Hits Historic Bridge in Oley. A historic covered bridge in Oley Township is closed after a truck busts through two security barriers. Police say a moving van went through the first barrier, over the Pleasantville Bridge, and then got stuck at the other security barrier. The two security beams and a bridge beam were damaged. The 150-year-old bridge was also hit by a truck in 2004, just one month after it was restored.

Gazette-Times, May 19, 2006, Alsea-Area Covered Bridge Damaged by Log Truck. Hayden Covered Bridge was damaged when a log truck traveled about halfway through the covered bridge and parts of it went through the roof, damaging cross bracing which weakened the structure.

Coos County Democrat, Lancaster, NH, June 14, 2006. Semi Sticks in Mt. Orne Bridge. The historic bridge that crosses the Connecticut River was damaged on June 6 by a tractor-trailer truck heading into VT. The truck became lodged when it tried to push through the bridge's 12 foot, 11 inch clearance. The truck sustained heavy damage as the sheet metal folded and tore at the wooden trusses along the roof. The bridge is currently closed and the town is waiting estimates for repair. Editor's Note: The bridge has been repaired and is again open to traffic.

CONTRIBUTORS: George Eysenbach, Bill Cockrell, Mr. & Mrs. R.W. Woodfill, Jim Crouse, Ron Branson, Dennis Rasmussen, Dick Wilson, Tom Walczak, Carmela Sciandra.

	Mechanic St. Covered Bridge in Lancaster, NH     is undergoing extensive repairs.     Photos taken on May 28, 2006 by Bob Griner

Spanning New York State
Covered Bridge News

By Bob and Trish Kane

Exciting News from the Empire State! It has been well known throughout the various Covered Bridge Communities that the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge [WGN 32-39-01]located in the Glimmerglass State Park in Otsego County is the oldest covered bridge in New York State. Throughout the past two years, however, a dedicated group of covered bridge experts have been busy writing letters and making phone calls to determine if the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge might just be the oldest existing covered bridge in the United States. I am pleased to be able to announce that the paperwork is in, results have been tallied and experts now agree that yes indeed, the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is the oldest existing Covered Bridge in the United States with a documented construction date of 1825!     In cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation a celebration has been scheduled at the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge on September 9, 2006 so please mark your calendars now so you don't miss this great historic event. As the summer progresses, more exciting details will be added to the program. If you would like more information, or would like to volunteer to help with the event, please contact us at: bobtrish68@frontiernet.net or call us at 607-674-9656. SPECIAL NOTICE: Dan Brock reports that it was brought to the attention of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges that some United States Counties were not in alphabetical order according to the standards set by NACO (National Association of Counties Organization.) an organization that represents the United States and its counties. There are 25 states that have counties listed out of alphabetical order, including New York. The following counties have new county numbers: Saratoga, 45; Schenectady, 46; Schoharie, 47; Schuyler, 48; Seneca, 49; and St. Lawrence, 50. As a result, the following bridges in New York State will now have new World Guide numbers: Copeland Covered Bridge, NY 32-45-01 and the Blenheim Covered Bridge, NY 32-47-01. Please change your records accordingly. For a complete listing for other states, please contact Dan Brock. Beyond New York Indiana Putnam County Members of the county tourism board recently indicated that they are committed to seeing their covered bridges preserved by setting aside $500 for the Putnam County Sheriff's Department. During the summer months, Lt. Col. Steve Fenwick sends out non-violent offenders from the inmate work crews to clean up debris and overgrown brush around the county's remaining covered bridges. This clean-up has improved visibility and safety for motorist, as well as spruced up the look of the bridges. In the past, the tourism bureau has purchased weed trimmers and gasoline for the department to use on these projects.     One Putnam County inmate, James Miller, is fascinated with covered bridges. He also has some wonderful artistic talent. Jim recently added fresh paint to the cement block walls in the jail. One day he also painted a detailed emblem on the medical office door. Soon after, a detailed police emblem on Lt. Col. Steve Fenwick office door. Steve was so impressed with his work, that he asked Jim, a tattoo artist by trade, to come up with a rendering of the Putnam County's covered bridge map that would be used as a mural on an interior wall of the Putnam County Jail. Using colored pencils on poster-size paper, Jim came up with a professional-quality drawing which included a wispy feminine ghost haunting the Edna Collings Covered Bridge. The ghost legend is a local favorite of the bridge. Jim said he hopes that the 31- bridge pencil drawing may one day be reproduced as a poster for tourists and county residents. Although the mural project will not be seen by most members of the public, it brightly decorates the corridor traveled daily by jail staff and inmates. Oakalla/Shoppell Covered Bridge - IN 14-67-10 Kara Lawless, Director of the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau states that structural repairs may be needed on this bridge as police discovered evidence last year that someone tried to set the bridge on fire. Oregon Wimer Covered Bridge -- OR 37-15-05 Great news from Bill Cockrell! Jackson County has received a $342,000 grant from the Highway Bridge Repair or Replacement Fund, a federal needs-based bridge replacement program, to rebuild the Wimer Covered Bridge that collapsed on July 6, 2003. This is great news indeed! Hayden Covered Bridge -- OR 37-02-05 Benton County Public Works has placed an emergency 5-ton weight limit on the Hayden Covered Bridge due to recent damage to the bridge when a log truck tried to drive through it. This is truly unfortunate, especially since $600,000 worth of repairs and improvements were made to the bridge in 2003. The bridge will be closed and no doubt local residents will again have to take a 6 mile bumpy detour during this time while the bridge is being repaired. (See similar incidents below in Pennsylvania.) Pennsylvania Congratulations Pennsylvania for saving two of your historic landmarks. What a great feeling to report on bridges being saved instead of lost! Larkin Covered Bridge PA 38-15-11 The Larkin Covered Bridge in Chester County has a new home on Graphite Mining Road, just 0.2 miles off Byers Road in Eagle, PA and a dedication ceremony was held on June 24th to celebrate. Special thanks to George Conn for keeping us informed on the progress of this bridge and for sending along these photos taken in May 2006. Fort Hunter/Everhart Covered Bridge PA 38-50-44/38-22-05 Also finding a new home in Pennsylvania is the Fort Hunter/Everhart Covered Bridge. This bridge was originally located in Perry County, between Centre and Juniata Townships on LR50035 which is now SR4010 across Little Buffalo Creek. It was dismantled in 1940 and moved to the Fort Hunter Museum in Susquehanna Township in Dauphin County and rebuilt and renamed the Fort Hunter Bridge. It was dismantled again in 1979/80 and put in storage due to its deteriorating condition. This bridge has now been reassembled in the Fort Hunter Park and looks fantastic! Special thanks to Bob and Judy Kuether for sharing these great photos with us taken on May 31, 2006. Fort Hunter/Everhart Covered Bridge PA 38-50-44/38-22-05 Fort Hunter/Everhart Covered Bridge PA 38-50-44/38-22-05 Pleasantville Covered Bridge PA 38-06-01 Two security barriers, as well as a bridge beam was recently damaged on the Pleasantville Covered Bridge. Police say a moving van went through the first barrier and as they tried to go through the second barrier got stuck. This 150 year old bridge was damage by a truck in 2004 just one month after it was restored. The bridge is presently closed until repairs can be made to the structure. Knox/Valley Forge Covered Bridge PA 38- 15-15 The roof of this historic bridge located in the Valley Forge National Historical Park was damaged by a vehicle exceeding a 10-foot height restriction on the bridge. (Is this beginning to sound familiar folks?) The bridge is now closed and PennDOT officials said repairs would take a few days. The bridge carries about 2,000 vehicles per day so this will be a real detriment to area residents. The bridge was rehabilitated in 1996. PennDOT will work with the National Park Service and Pennsylvania Museum and Historical Commission to preserve the historic character of the span. Virginia Bob White VA 46-68-01/Jacks Creek VA 46-68-02 A contractor is currently working on two of Patrick's County's covered bridges. This will be the first time the sheathing on the outside of the Bob White Covered Bridge has ever been removed. Thanks to Steve and Leola Pierce for sending along these recent photos. (Please take note of the special volunteer in the water in front of the truck in the photo on the left.) Bob White Covered Bridge - Spring 2006 Leola Pierce noting points of interest CK Reynolds/Red Maple Farm Covered Bridge VA 46-35-03 In September 2004, this bridge almost went downstream during a hurricane. We are pleased to say that the roadwork to the bridge has now been repaired and the bridge has been saved. Photos below taken by Steve Pierce. CK Reynolds Covered Bridge - September 2004 CK Reynolds Covered Bridge - Spring 2006 Please note: The Virginia Covered Bridge Society now has their own website: www.cbsva.org They will be updating it on a regular basis and adding an online store so be sure to check it often. Covered Bridge Festivals in Virginia: Saturday, June 17, 2006 10 am to 5 pm at the Jack's Creek and Bob White Covered Bridges in Woolwine, VA. For vendor information, contact Jeannie Frisco at: jfrisco@co.patrick.va.us. The Best Western (276-632-5611) in Martinsville, VA is offering discounted rates but you must mention you are with a Covered Bridge Society. Saturday, September 16, 2006 at the Sinking Creek Covered Bridge in Newport, VA. This festival was held for years, but last year it was canceled because of flooding. It will be held again this year on Rt. 601. Please contact Robin Hypes for further information at: rhypes@pemtel.net. SPECIAL NOTICE: Dan Brock reports that it was brought to the attention of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges that some United States Counties were not in alphabetical order according to the standards set by NACO (National Association of Counties Organization), an organization that represents the United States and its counties. There are 25 states that have counties listed out of alphabetical order, including New York. The following counties have new county numbers: Saratoga, 45; Schenectady, 46; Schoharie, 47; Schuyler, 48; Seneca, 49; and St. Lawrence, 50. As a result, the following bridges in New York State will now have new World Guide numbers: Copeland Covered Bridge, NY 32-45-01 and the Blenheim Covered Bridge, NY 32-47-01. Please change your records accordingly. For a complete listing of changes in county numbers for other states, please contact Dan Brock. Update on Covered Spans of Yesteryear Project By Bill Caswell, Webmaster for CSOY Project June, 2006 - This summer, the Covered Spans of Yesteryear project will be three years old. I'd like to take a moment to share some statistics of the progress we have realized so far. To date, we have documented over 8,100 covered bridges that no longer exist in addition to the 1,200+ that still dot the landscape. The number of former structures will increase significantly once Ohio data is added. We have pictures of nearly 1,900 of those former structures. In total, over 4,500 pictures representing numerous collections are available on the website. We couldn't have gotten this far without those of you who help by sending information and pictures. Thank you!     Recently, Robert Laughlin has shared his extensive database of Kentucky information. With his help, over 700 bridges in that state have now been documented. Ron Branson of the County History Preservation Society (www.countyhistory.org) has submitted many Indiana covered bridge pictures from his collection and offered a few corrections as well. Maine pictures from the Dick Roy and Richard Donovan collections may be available by the time you read this. Thomas Kipphorn's Pennsylvania research continues with the addition of Columbia County data.     To hear about updates as they become available visit the website and sign up for our mailing list. In addition to exploring the website, reports from the states and provinces that we have researched are available at the Covered Bridge Museum in Bennington, Vermont.     If you are interested in offering pictures of the lost bridges in your area and have the ability to scan them, please contact me. There is still a vast amount of territory to cover and any help will be greatly appreciated. Email is usually the most effective way to contact me - bill@lostbridges.org. 50th ANNIVERSARY ITEMS AVAILABLE We are very happy to have to offer a couple of items in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. Tote Bag - Has the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges emblem in dark blue on front pocket measuring 12 1 /2" by 15 1 /2" with a top snap and 20" handle straps. Available for $15 including shipping Ornament -Also has the Society emblem. It's a 3" round glass maroon ornament with the emblem in gold. Available for $7 including shipping Pens -Pens have "I love Covered Bridges - N.S.P.C.B." written on them. Available for $1.25 including shipping.

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