Much to my joy, I have located a couple of covered bridges, not too far from Smith Mountain Lake. In the process, I learned that today in Virginia, only eight covered bridges still stand. Five have been preserved as landmarks and three are on private property. Two of the eight left in existence are in nearby Woolwine (Patrick County).
For me and many others a covered bridge, above and beyond its natural aesthetic value, stirs some kind of pleasant nostalgia. Covered bridges make you think of “The Waltons”, hand-cranked ice cream, and boys with rolled-up pant legs fishin’ underneath it. So if you are ever out for a Sunday drive and want to head over toward Woolwine and its vicinity, you should meander past one of their covered bridges and the sweet aroma of days gone by. Also below you will find a list of the other 3 public covered bridges and the counties they are located in.
| Bob White Covered Bridge | |
| Route 618 – Elamsville Road Woolwine, VA 24185 Phone: 276-694-8367Constructed in 1921, this historic bridge is a rare 80-foot “Burr truss” construction over the Smith River near Route 8 in the Woolwine community. It served as a connection between Route 8 and the Smith River Church of the Brethren on the south side of the Smith River. Bob White Covered Bridge was designed and constructed by Walter Weaver of Woolwine. Jack’s Creek Bridge (1914), Smith River in Patrick County Humpback Bridge (1857), James River in Alleghany County Meem’s Bottom Bridge (1894), North Fork of the Shenandoah River in Shenandoah County. Sinking Creek Bridge (circa 1916), Sinking Creek in Giles County Three bridges now are on private property:
Thanks to VDOT and the Patrick Co. Chamber of Commerce for much of this helpful information. You can visit either of these two sites for directions or maps to other bridges. |
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