Hyde Hall Bridge

Hyde Hall Bridge crosses Shadow Brook with a 53-foot-long single span and features a wooden structure with a shingled roof. The entrance has a distinctive elliptical opening framed by horizontal boards.

The structure was built in 1825 by master carpenter Cyrenus Clark, Andrew Alden, and stonemason Lorenzo Bates. It stands as the earliest documented covered bridge in the United States.

The bridge is now part of Glimmerglass State Park and helps visitors connect to hiking trails and the nearby Hyde Hall mansion. It shows how historical routes shaped how people move through and experience this landscape.

The bridge sits about 600 feet north of County Road 31 within Glimmerglass State Park. It is open to foot traffic and provides access to various hiking trails in the area.

The bridge uses the Burr Arch Truss system, patented in 1817, which represented cutting-edge engineering for its time. This design makes it an important example of early American structural innovation.

Location: New York

GPS coordinates: 42.79020,-74.86383

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:43