Ashokan Bridge, Covered bridge in Olivebridge, New York.
The Ashokan Bridge is a covered wooden bridge that crosses Esopus Creek with a gable roof and a lattice framework design typical of 19th-century construction. It now sits on the grounds of the Ashokan Center, where visitors can walk through its interior tunnel-like passage.
Nelson Tompkins built this bridge in 1885 at a location called Turnwood to span Esopus Creek. It was dismantled and relocated to the Ashokan Center grounds decades later to preserve it from deterioration.
The bridge demonstrates how 19th-century builders created sturdy river crossings using local wood and simple geometric designs. Visitors can walk through and examine the wooden framework that has survived for more than a century.
You need a day pass from the Ashokan Center to access the bridge and explore its interior. Visit during mild weather to comfortably walk through the wooden passage and see all the structural details.
In winter, early residents carried shovels to clear snow from inside the bridge, making the passage usable through harsh seasons. This daily practice shows how essential the structure was for people crossing the creek.
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