My wife and I went to see Lawless today and I thought it was a very good movie. For the squeamish, there is a lot of violence in one form or another so be prepared. It's probably not going to be nominated for any Academy Awards but it's worth seeing. If you're not aware, it's the story of the Bondurant brothers who were bootleggers in Franklin County, VA in the early 30's. I mentioned in another thread that a lot of it was filmed in Coweta and Meriwether counties in Georgia. Here are a couple of pictures that you'll notice in the movie. This is the Big Red Oak Creek covered bridge, built in the 1840's and while the covered section is not the longest, with the approach it is the longest (and oldest) wooden bridge in Georgia. I've been photographing this bridge in one form or another for about 35 years.

Oh yeah, I forgot to add, several Smith and Wesson's.





CW

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Why did they cover the bridges?

I've always wondered about that. Maybe travellers sheltered there in the rain.

Or, maybe if the bridge was covered, the rain rotted out the bridge less. And made footing less slippery in snow or ice.

Bridges are covered to protect them from the weather. They last a lot longer.
Saw the movie. Didn't really like it.
I thought it was slow as hell.

AFS

I've read several reasons. It kept the trusses from rotting because it was cheaper and easier to replace a roof and side boards than the big heavy trusses. I've heard also for use as shelter by travelers but that one doesn't really ring true since you would have to be close to the bridge to start with to use it in bad weather. To keep the wooden floor from getting slick during bad weather although in areas where sleds were used, there was usually someone hired to spread snow on the bridge floor so sleds could cross. I've also read that it was to keep horses and cattle from spooking when they realized they were over rushing water. I'm sure there were almost as many reasons as there were bridges.

CW

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That's a neat picture, Straightshooter2. There seem to be a good number of covered bridges in Georgia, including one near my folks place. It's still used on a daily basis by automobiles. It's on Concord Road near Smyrna. Unfortunately it's not as scenic as the one in your picture as there are I-beam structures on either end to protect it from damage from cars. I've driven over it many times.

Here it is: Concord Covered Bridge Cobb County, Georgia (WGN 10-33-02) (WGCB GA-10-33-02)


Your synopsis of why they are covered is as good an explanation as any I've seen, the main thing of course being to protect the structure of the bridge. Even today bridges are expensive and complicated to build and maintain. They're really neat old artifacts from a different time.

Cooter, Concord Bridge is on my list of things to photograph. It's actually not that far from where I am using I-285 but traffic on the perimeter and in Cobb County is a different matter. LOL

CW

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I understand that. The traffic can be a bear. Believe it or not I used to hunt quail and rabbits along those railroad tracks near the bridge.

Please post some pics when you get out there.

Like the covered bridges do ya.

New England Style

Nothing like trout fishing with one in front of you in a gorgeous cold running water stream.

http://www.discovernewengland.org/ne...vered-bridges/

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