The Bridges of Madison County Iowa

Evidence of covered bridges can be found as far back as 780 B.C. in Babylon and back thousands of years in China. In America the first covered bridge was built in Connecticut in 1804. Most covered bridges in the US were built between 1825 and 1875.

Of the thousands built in the 1800’s just over 800 survive. Covered bridges can be found in many regions of the U.S. and Canada. New England and Pennsylvania have the largest collection of standing bridges. They can be found in the mid-Atlantic states, in the south, the mid-West, and the Pacific Coast states.

Why Cover Bridges?

The simple answer is to protect the wood from snow, rain, ice, decay and rot. The cover also kept the interior temperature more uniform and less stess from the sun and summer heat on the timbers. Covered bridges last about three times longer than uncovered wooden structures. Most planks used for the base were oiled to protect them from the moisture from the river or creek below. Covering the bridges kept these planks from becoming slippery in the rain.

Some say they were built to resemble barns so farm animals would recognize them as a farm structure and not stampede as they were driven across high above the rushing waters below. This may also account for the use of red paint for most of the bridges.


Additionally, they served as protection for travelers caught out in inclement weather, a resting place for those wandering town to town, and meeting places for lovers. In many places they served as churches, places for town meetings, dances and other community social events.

Building the Bridges

Wood used for trusses had to be straight and lightweight, preferably found near the building site. Fastenings were made of the nearest hardwood, oak, maple or black locust and soaked in linseed oil for preservation and lubrication. These dowels or pegs were then driven through pre-drilled holes. Today’s renovations use metal hardware rather than wooden dowels.


The completed bridge was laid to rest on top of the temporary structure spanning the water and the final moment-of-truth was the destruction of the temporary with the bridge coming to rest on its supports.


When visiting the bridges, take a walk inside. Imagine the size of the trees needed for the intricate criss-cross framework. Imagine the time needed to lay those timbers, drill the holes, pound the dowels and pegs – without the use of power tools!

The Bridges of Madison County

Perhaps the most famous covered bridges are in Madison County, Iowa. Thanks to the popularity of the book and the movie, James Waller’s The Bridges of Madison County. Only 6 bridges of the original 21 survive today in Madison County.

Madison County was ideal for building covered bridges. Its densely wooded river valleys and limestone bluffs provided the raw materials needed. Major crossings were needed on the North Branch, North River, Middle River, Jones Creek, Clanton Creek, South River, Grand River and their tributaries.

In 1868 Eli Cox contracted with the county to build a bridge on the North River near his homestead. The structure was entirely made of wood. Then with his sons George, John, and Alfred, he built numerous wooden and wooden covered bridges. They milled their own the lumber and built the frame work of solid oak. The piers were built of stone quarried near the bridge sites. The mortar was of sand hauled from the creeks and the lime burnt in the Madison County kilns. Many of his first bridges were not covered since the county did not want to cover the extra cost. One of the first covered bridges that Eli Cox built was the Donahoe bridge over the North River.


Another prominent name in the covered bridge building era was Benton Jones. His best work which still stands, Roseman Bridge, the bridge made famous in The Bridges of Madison County.